Book Two: The Telling Stone

March 1, 2015
Timothy James Maxwell and his friends continue their adventure in cosmic realms. Think of The Dark is Rising and A Swiftly Tilting Planet: when Celtic forces of good, evil, and the fairy folk come together, snow flies, winds rise, and mere mortals are caught off balance. McQuerry dives right in, picking up where she left off in series opener Beyond the Door (2014). The one-eyed evil representative of the Dark, Balor, wreaks havoc on the Marketplace out of time, while armies of trees and birds join to beat back his reptile and insect forces. An enigmatic map and a Christmas (when "the Light comes into the world") trip to Edinburgh set the stage for another mythic encounter between good and evil. McQuerry borrows freely for her tropes, tossing in ancient tales, the Scottish regalia, Macbeth's Dunsinane, the Wild Hunt, and fairy folk with a great deal of scope and ambition. Though she slides distractingly from one point of view to another in early chapters, she sticks with young Timothy for most of the rest, engaging readers in his predicament and the web of cosmic tension. The overlap of mythical and present is nicely realized, with adults especially not what they seem, whether representative of good or evil.Uneven yet at moments exceedingly exciting: readers who stick through to the end will be looking for the next in the series. (Fantasy. 9-13)

March 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-In this sequel to Beyond the Door (Abrams, 2014), the action picks up right where it left off in the first installment. Sarah is still in her ermine form, Peter is a ferret, and Timothy is back in the Travelers' Market. A battle temporarily defeats Balor, and finally everyone is returned to human form; however, the Dark isn't finished with them yet. They are only briefly back in the real world when they are given a map that they must decode to find the Four Treasures, one of which includes the legendary Stone of Destiny. Once Timothy steps on the stone, he will know whether or not he is the true Filidh. Of course, Balor and the Dark are attempting to secure the map for their own evil purposes. Timothy and Sarah's parents plan a Christmas trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, and it just so happens that Jessica, the school bully who offered some surprising help in the previous volume, needs to tag along. Many new characters are introduced, both to help and to harm the children, most of whom are not what they seem-a plot device that quickly becomes tiresome. The first quarter of this book belongs at the end of the last one and is rushed and choppy. Once the children finally embark on their adventure to Edinburgh, however, the second book finally comes into its own. VERDICT Readers who enjoyed the first book will likely appreciate this adventure, but purchase only where the first has a following.-Mandy Laferriere, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Grades 4-8 The Time Out of Time series continues with even more action, excitement, and mystical moments. Timothy; his sister, Sarah (after spending some unfortunate time as an ermine); and their friend Jessica are tasked with seeking the Four Treasures, one of which is the important Telling Stone. Their travels to Edinburgh are fraught with danger as they battle the Dark, but surrounded by heroic characters from mythhelpfully identified in a glossarythey can't help but prevail. With a boy and his friends fighting against a powerful evildoer, while the lad gradually discovers his legacy and powers, it's hard not to see references to other popular fantasy stories here, especially a certain series featuring a boy with a lightning-bolt-shaped scar. But, as in the first outing, Beyond the Door (2014), McQuerry puts her own spin on things. A code embedded in an old map adds an interesting element and gives readers a chance to play along, while the enticing cover is sure to beckon kids in.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)