ON THE EDGE OF THE DARK SEA OF DARKNESS

In the goofy fantasy land of Skree, where “totato” gardens are infested with “thwaps” and the town fool dances in circles with socks on his hands, three children find themselves embroiled in the fight against evil. Janner loves younger brother Tink and sister Leeli, but he wishes it wasn’t always his job to protect them. Still, in a world run by the stinky, lizard-like Fangs of Dang, Janner can’t be too careful. The ruler of the Fangs, wicked Gnag the Nameless, wants nothing more than the mythical Jewels of Anniera—and the local Fangs think Janner’s family is hiding them. Over the course of a few too many nick-of-time rescues, the children learn their predictable great secret. Janner’s loving family injects the fantasy tropes with heartfelt sincerity, which lies incongruously among the gags, silly names and fake footnotes. But all the right quest elements are here, and with a bit more balance (less forced clownishness, a more natural flow of narrative tension), the sequel could be a book well worth the wait. (Fantasy. 10-12)