Trolled

Gr 4–6—Imagine gazing up nine feet into the face of a horrifically ugly, wart-filled being who loves smelling his own foot odor and enjoys hearing and breathing putrid, thundering farts! Meet Ned, a troll—complete with royal bloodlines to prove it. Unlike his kinfolk, Ned has been living among humans in the underground caverns of the New York City subway system for hundreds of years. A night watchman for Grand Central Station, he is befriended by Cody, his boss's son, who thinks that Ned is intriguing. As part of a school assignment, Cody interviews Ned and Ned's grandmother and quickly begins to discover unimaginable secrets while also learning more about himself. Cody's adventure takes him deep into Troll Mountain to defeat the troll king, save his great-grandfather, and find Ned's true love. This third volume in Coville's "Enchanted Files" series twists tradition to create a modern fairy tale. This book has parallels with others in the series, with the introduction of two new heroic outcasts for whom readers will cheer. Coville shifts perspectives between lonely but bighearted Ned and Cody, who seems to live in an imaginary world. The narrative, told through diary entries, letters, and emails, can be difficult to follow at times as it toggles between two different stories. However, the overlapping plots result in fireworks for careful readers, as new information is constantly uncovered, forcing them to ponder potential connections.