Vault of Shadows

Gr 5 Up—In Maberry's second installment of the series, readers tag along for the few days following Milo's epic escape from under the Huntsman's nose. The story is beautifully crafted, with the perfect balance of paralyzingly intense action and intimate looks into Milo's fears and dreams. The rapid transitions from excerpts from the "Dream Diary" to present-day action will keep tween and teen readers glued to the story. The Nightsiders who team up with Milo are a lovable group. Evangelyne the werewolf is back, along with the Stone Guardian, who really steals the scene from time to time, and all of the other interesting "monsters" from the first story. The evil Huntsman, who is even more over-the-top since the last encounter with the hero, will continue to elicit genuine fear from readers, as he embodies almost every scary character trait imaginable. There is a strong emphasis placed on books and the power of reading, which will speak to both educators and many middle school students needing that extra push.