The Ice Gate of Spyre

February 1, 2013

Gr 3-5-Esmeralda Lightfoot, a Romany princess, believes in the badgers' legend of the six crowns, and she's on a quest to find them. Her adventurous companions include a hedgehog named Trundle; Jack Nimble, a well-traveled musician squirrel; and a loopy hare named Ishmael March, who is the cook aboard their skyboat. In Trundle's Quest (HarperCollins, 2011), they searched the islands of the Sundered Lands and found three of the crowns, and now their goal is the Crown of Ice on the sacred island of Spyre. They are on the run from pirates and on their journey they encounter bloodthirsty bats, dark lotus pollen, an abandoned windship, hat-wearing meerkats, gigantic snow snakes, llamas, and more. There's a liberal sprinkling of humor, particularly by Ishmael, who inserts such wacky comments as, "A stitch in time is worth two in the bush." Black-line illustrations add interest. This action-packed page-turner is one that even reluctant fantasy readers will embrace, and it's a fine choice for a read-aloud. The satisfying ending sets the stage for the quest for the Crown of Wood in a future book.-Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego

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