Cat's Cradle

May 31, 2023
Grades 3-6 At the end of Cat's Cradle: The Golden Twine (2022), young monster-tamer Suri had teamed up with an enterprising imp, Caglio, and his monstrously large but affectionate "lap dog," Byron. It was decided that, for Byron's own good, they should take him to live with the giants in Monster's Cradle. They embark on this journey in their new adventure, but a trip like that doesn't come cheap. A chance encounter with a thief named Kolya clues Suri and Caglio into a nearby treasure hoard that would help their cause tremendously--but only if they can navigate the caves where it's located and avoid the troll king who resides there. Action and magic are peppered with the characters' entertaining rapport and frequent ineptitude as the trio descends into genuine danger. The saturated artwork conjures a medieval-type setting rendered in a muted palette that lets the gleam of gold, glow of fire, and luminous turquoise emitted by magic pop. Subplots involving a pompous prince, plotting Caitsith (cat people), and Kolya's mysterious past add intrigue to this lively read.

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May 1, 2023
A young monster tamer journeys in search of her family. This sequel to The Golden Twine (2022) picks up with 12-year-old Suri looking for odd jobs to keep herself, imp Caglio, and giant doglike monster Byron fed as they make their way to the Monster's Cradle, where Suri hopes to find her family. Being followed by a group of Caitsiths, catlike shape-shifters, they head to the mining town of Tancredi, where they hope to find work. But unbeknownst to them, the miners of Tancredi have been going missing, leaving the formerly prosperous town in ruins. On their way north, they are attacked by a mole king, but they manage to escape and in the process rescue Kolya, a thief on an impossible mission who harbors a secret. Kolya stumbled across the mole king's treasure but was caught in the act of trying to take some of the gold coins. He and Suri team up to try again. The action moves at a quick pace, and the storylines are easy to follow, although readers familiar with the first volume will better understand some of them. Strong in comedic timing and banter, this entry follows plucky Suri as she continues to problem-solve, extricating her band of travelers from numerous sticky situations. Suri has brown skin and hair; Kolya has light skin and black hair. An exciting, adventurous continuation centering a clever protagonist. (map, journal entries) (Graphic fantasy. 8-14)

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