The Spies of Gerander

April 1, 2013
Four stalwart mice return in this second book of The Song of the Winns, risking their lives as spies to help liberate Gerander from oppressive neighboring Souris. In The Secret of the Ginger Mice (2012), triplets Alex, Alice and Alistair and their friend, Tibby Rose, discovered their Gerandan roots and Free and Independent Gerander, a resistance organization dedicated to restoring Gerander's independence. The triplets also learned their missing parents were FIG operatives, imprisoned on Atticus Island. Arriving at FIG headquarters, the four mice receive dangerous undercover assignments. Alistair and Tibby Rose must find a network of ancient tunnels in northern Gerander near the source of the Winns River and, they hope, rescue Alistair's parents. Meanwhile, Alex and Alice will pose as Sourian servants to infiltrate the palace in Gerander's capital city and gather information useful to FIG. Both pairs use their wits and bravado to survive serial perils, only to find that someone in FIG has betrayed them. A breathless plot alternates between Alistair and Tibby Rose's quest and Alex and Alice's spy activities, carrying the resilient, endearing mice to a surprise ending and ensuring their key role in the future fight to save Gerander. Delicate pen-and-ink spot art memorializes chapter details. An animated sequel that does not disappoint. (map) (Animal fantasy. 8-12)

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December 1, 2013

Gr 3-6-In The Secret of the Ginger Mice (Running Pr., 2012), Alex, Alice, and Alistair learn that their family actually hails from Gerander, which has long been oppressed by the nation of Souris. Furthermore, their parents, rather than having been killed in an accident, are alive, albeit in a Sourian prison. In this second installment, the triplets are determined to help Gerander fight for freedom, embarking on dangerous missions to aid the country's cause. Alex and Alice act as spies, and Alistair and his friend Tibby Rose-along with two adult operatives-attempt to rescue the triplets' parents. Weighing in at more than 300 pages, this is not a book for reluctant readers. Besides its length, there's also a robust cast and a plot that deals with the political machinations between Souris and Gerander. But patient readers will be rewarded-at the halfway mark, the pages start to fly. At this point, the young heroes and heroines narrowly escape death and capture in almost every chapter, and treacherous characters start to show their true colors, making for an extremely compelling and absorbing read. As with the first book, the ending has a fantastic catharsis, yet the conflict between Souris and Gerander isn't over yet. Though this may be a title that collects dust on the shelf, it certainly has the feel of a classic work of children's literature. Try hand-selling it to your best readers.-Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library, NY

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