A Plague of Bogles

November 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-After the climactic events of How to Catch a Bogle (Houghton Harcourt, 2013), Alfred Bunce has retired from killing the monsters that lurk in London. His former apprentice, Birdie McAdam, has moved on to study singing while living with the wealthy folklorist, Miss Eames. Jem Barbary, a former pickpocket, has bounced around from job to job, consumed with the desire for revenge against Sarah Pickles, who sold him off to be bogle bait. But when children go missing around Newgate prison, Alfred reluctantly agrees to take on another bogling job with Jem as his apprentice. Jem proves himself to be nimble and spry, using his quickness and acrobatics to escape bogles. One job leads to another and Alfred is unsettled by the unusually large concentration of bogles in one area. He and Jem are joined by Birdie and Miss Eames as they attempt to discover what has brought so many monsters to the same place. This second book in the trilogy is as engaging as the first, with exciting action scenes and a new protagonist as its focal point. Jem is used to relying on himself and though he is resourceful, he lacks Birdie's confidence. His practical outlook and determination make him an appealing character, even as his single-minded focus on finding the woman who betrayed him threatens to uproot the place he has found with Alfred. Well paced and with details and dialogue that transport readers to the streets (and sewers) of Victorian London, there is much to enjoy in this excellent adventure series.-Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL

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