Unnaturals #2

February 1, 2017
In a futuristic city where the wealthy live in high towers above the poisonous air and citizens are entertained by death matches between hybridized animals, two teens defy the government in hopes of changing their world.Marcus Lund, an idealistic resident of the Sky Towers, and Leesa Khan, a street-smart inhabitant of the underground community of the Drain, work together to free the hybridized animals from NuFormz, the evil corporation responsible for their mutations. Castor, half-German shepherd and half-eagle, must lead his band of misfits through the broken city toward the Greenplains. But along the way, they will need to fight mutants determined to kill them and humans determined to recage them. Only Kozmo, a combination of bat and fox, holds some clue about what the future may have in store. This clever dystopic fantasy successfully juggles a host of both human and animal voices. The exploration of subjective morality gives this story heart and a unique depth. However, diversity resides primarily with the animal characters; Richardson's chapter-head illustrations represent both Marcus and Leesa with white skin, and aside from her last name, there's no real indication of ethnicity or race. While the government's evil machinations feel over-the-top, the combination of endearing hybrids and complex humans makes this a series worth investing in. A compelling page-turner with depth. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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March 1, 2017

Gr 4-7-Hybrid animals on the run from a shifting enemy and a futuristic world made almost unlivable from toxins and pollution are at the center of this action-packed sequel. Creature K-07MO, a hybrid fox-bat, has spent her entire life hiding from humans in the underground lab where single species are turned into hybrids. One day, her curiosity leads her to get a closer look at a new arrival, who turns out to be a friendly dog named Runt, a character readers will remember from the first installment. He suggests the name Kozmo for the lonely creature and becomes the first friend she has ever known. They help each other escape the lab and soon meet up with Runt's brother Castor, who has been turned into an eagle-dog and is now a star of a brutal virtual reality show where hybrids fight for entertainment. Meanwhile, humans Marcus and Leesa successfully free the hybrids who are forced to do battle, and continue to investigate the tangled web of secrets behind the creation of the Unnaturals. Readers, particularly animal lovers, will warm to the endearing characters-especially sweet, sensitive Kozmo, who is learning what it means to have a family for the first time. Although the journey feels overlong at times, the characters' kind and caring treatment of one another makes the novel satisfying. The chapters given over to the humans in the narrative are less cohesive and occasionally confusing, with too many characters and motives to keep track of. Still, fans of the "Warriors" series will enjoy the combination of action and adventure. VERDICT A worthy addition to medium and large middle grade collections; sure to please fans of animal survival stories.-Kristy Pasquariello, Wellesley Free Library, MA

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