LLAMA QUEST #2

A trio of adventurers search for the second of 12 missing magic stones in order to safeguard the Kingdom of Ravenwood.

Picking up a week after the events chronicled in the first installment (summed up in a quick recap), this book sees the Stone Seekers—youngsters Dak and Fenn and Lucy the magical llama—preparing for a new mission by researching in the library. After they teleport to the forest near the royal castle, they realize that the alicorns—winged unicorns capable of telekinesis—have the stone. Alicorns are notoriously shy, so the team members seek help from Queen Luna. Though the palace is aflutter with preparations for a royal wedding, the queen invites them to consult the royal library. Along the way, they befriend Prince Kamoni and his friend Antonia (both wizard students) and encounter the alicorns. While Reyes relies on well-trod fantasy themes and tropes, young readers will find this book a welcome introduction to the genre. The writing is clear and the pacing effective. Compared with the first volume, this tale offers more character growth and minor but significant internal conflict. Dak deals with complex feelings toward Fenn; he finds her a bit bossy but wishes he could emulate her bravery and confidence. The cartoon art is at its best when depicting the alicorns. Dak, Queen Luna, and Kamoni appear brown-skinned in the illustrations, while Fenn and Antonia are light-skinned.

Fun escapades for budding fantasy fans.