The Trap

March 1, 2012

Gr 3-6-In this well-written and hilarious sequel to The Call (HarperCollins, 2010), 12-year-old Mack MacAvoy's destiny as leader of the Magnificent Twelve, aka the "Magnifica," takes him to China, Germany, and a rundown Asgard. He is on a mission to gather the rest of the Twelve and stop the dreaded Pale Queen from escaping her 3000-year imprisonment and destroying the world. Risky, the Pale Queen's beautiful and dangerous daughter, and Paddy "Nine Iron" Trout are trying to stop him. Many of the same elements that made the first book such a success are still prevalent here. The action moves at a breakneck pace but never seems rushed. The characters are consistently entertaining and engaging. Grant knows when to dial down the humor and let the gravity of the plot take center stage. As with many other action adventures, some of the situations and dangers in this title come across as over the top, but the escapes work within the context of the story. Since Mack has only found fewer than half of the Magnifica and there are still 30-some-odd days before the Pale Queen escapes her bonds, this installation ends with plenty left for sequels to come. To help make the wait between books easier on his readers, Grant has established a website at www.themag12.com that offers several features that are entertaining, informative, and interactive.-Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX

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