The Last Mirror on the Left

September 1, 2020
The Legendary Alston Boys of Logan County are back in a new multiverse adventure. In the series opener, readers were introduced to the detective team of cousins Sheed and Otto Alston when they went toe-to-toe with the time-stopping Mr. Flux. A mirror "borrowed" from the Rorrim Mirror Emporium in downtown Fry to resolve that showdown sets off the journey of this sequel, as the boys are magically reminded by Missus Nedraw that the Emporium is no ordinary house of mirrors. Yes, behind the mirrors lie whole new worlds where Missus Nedraw and the menacing-looking Judge reign over the Multiverse Justice System. The word is that they need Otto and Sheed to recapture an extraordinarily dangerous criminal who has escaped, but something seems not quite right about this setup--something more insidious than the reality-bending rules of this dimension they've entered, including a gang of spiders who call themselves the ArachnoBRObia. Even more complicated, Otto worries that Sheed is in need of a checkup but knows he will refuse to self-advocate for a doctor's visit. Otto can't just let his detective partner lapse into what might be an even more serious health condition. This heartwarming adventure centers on the caring relationship between two Black boys while driving home a lesson about what justice might truly be. A fantastic second addition to an already-acclaimed series. (Science fiction. 8-12)

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Starred review from October 1, 2020

Gr 3-5-The Legendary Alston Boys of Logan County are back! This time their adventure will take them far from the Fry they know, as they test their wits in the Warped World and beyond. When Missus Nedraw, Warden of the The Rorrim Mirror Emporium, calls on the deductive duo to recapture an escapee from the Multiverse Justice System, Otto and Sheed must travel into a parallel dimension where all they know is turned on its head. But finding their target is only half the battle; the cousins must then use all their skills to determine who is truly the villain in their story. Giles's The Last Last-Day-of-Summer sequel is a complex and exciting fantasy adventure that encourages readers to question what they know about incarceration, justice, laws, and the people who enforce them. While at first Otto and Sheed follow Missus Nedraw's orders, their interactions with the "villains" they're chasing make them realize that they might not have all the necessary information. Otto and Sheed are introspective and clever young Black boys who love, trust, and challenge each other. The town of Fry is filled with marvelous secondary characters who add depth and heart to the story; especially the boys' grandma, who always takes care of her grandkids-even if they are from a strange parallel dimension. Chapters alternate perspective between the two boys, with Otto's views often shared as bullet-pointed entries in his journal. This format helps readers keep track of the ins and outs of the case, and allows the protagonists to reevaluate their assumptions as more information comes to light. VERDICT Thrilling and heartfelt, this is an absolute first purchase.-Laken Hottle, Providence Community Lib.

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Starred review from October 1, 2020
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* Their time-freezing, madcap summer may be behind them (The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, 2019), but that doesn't mean the Legendary Alston Boys' adventures are over. When Missus Nedraw appears in their bathroom mirror, demanding recompense for the damage they caused to her Mirror Emporium, a secret prison, Otto and Sheed are a little worried. But Missus Nedraw promises not throw them into mirror jail if they help her track down the fugitives they accidentally freed: the terrible Nevan and his gang. The catch? Nevan disappeared into a mirror dimension, one sort of like Otto and Sheed's world but, well, also not. And so off the cousins go, quickly discovering that all is not quite what it seems in more ways than one. Giles maintains the momentum and sheer fun from the series kickoff (enhanced by Adeola's sprightly line drawings) as he digs deeper into this world (and its multiverses!), pulling in returning characters like the Epic Ellison Girls, the Alston Boys' rivals/friends. At the same time, he crafts a deeply affecting through-line in Otto, who is struggling with the secret he learned from a time-traveler: that Sheed is destined to die young. With nods to the boys' Blackness and deep family ties woven into the narrative, this is an emotionally resonant and action-packed sequel that manages to be an even greater adventure than its predecessor.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The Alston Boys' first adventure was wildly popular with kids and critics alike, so purchase at least one universe's worth of its sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)