Library of Souls

Gr 8 Up—A thrilling and satisfying installment in Riggs's "Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children" series. The book picks up where Hollow City (Quirk, 2014) left off without missing a beat, catapulting the children on a dark chase through London and various time loops in a final confrontation against the evil wights and the monstrous hollowgasts. In Hollow City, the children were trying to save Miss Peregrine. In Library of Souls, the fate of all Peculiardom is at stake. As in the previous books, the characters, their relationships, and their special abilities help to inform the world-building, and the detailed descriptions set the tone, which covers the spectrum from humorous to suspenseful to downright terrifying. An old adage states that a picture is worth a thousand words, and, as in the previous books, found photographs continue to illustrate the unique cast of characters and fantastical settings. The photos collected by Riggs are a highlight, adding a believable confirmation to the spectacular narrative. Readers new to the series should start with the first book, and interest in the titles will only grow, as Tim Burton's film adaptation is scheduled for March 2016.