Prince Iggy and the Tower of Decisions

In the second installment of this engaging illustrated series, Fynn (Prince Iggy and the Kingdom of Naysayer, 2013) continues the zany adventures of his apprehensive hero.

News has reached the Rose Kingdom that the rightful heir to the throne has been found, and he’s now on his way to reclaim the crown. But Iggy Rose, the heir, is a small, slightly nervous boy who has just escaped from the school bullies; is he ready to rule a kingdom? The plot of this second book is even more bizarre than the first, with Fynn’s cast of eccentric characters heading for space in a rocket ship. When Iggy finally makes it to the Rose Kingdom—after getting his body back from the sentient Rose Star, which switches bodies with Iggy for a large section of the book—he’s forced to enter the dreaded Tower of Decisions to compete with the evil queen who has usurped his position. The tests he undergoes in the tower—confronting a hungry shark, dancing in front of some judges, battling a blue dragon and coming face to face with his deceased parents—are all tests in which the young boy’s character is examined. The strangeness of the fantasy, especially the obstacles that the hero and his crew must overcome, adds to the excitement, but it is the author’s underlying message that resonates most. If Iggy is to defeat the self-centered, vain queen, he must first conquer the small voice of fear within him. He must learn to let go of the past, to forge boldly ahead and reach his goal. With plenty of inspiring, spirited friends, can he lose? After many grayscale, watercolor-style illustrations, the author’s inconclusive ending suggests that further installments might be on the way—good news for all who’ve enjoyed the first two books.

A satisfying sequel to a memorable first book featuring an unprepossessing hero who might just become a household name.