City of Lies by Lian Tanner - ADVISABLE

Tanner, Lian City of Lies, 278 pgs. Delacorte Press, 2011. $18.00. Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG; 

When Toadspit’s little sister Bonnie is kidnapped, Goldie and Toadspit follow the villains who took her to the city of Spoke. When Toadspit is taken also, it’s up to Goldie, a boy with some mice who can predict the future, a very intelligent cat, and Morg (the museum’s slaughterbird) to rescue the children. To make matters more difficult, Spoke is having a Festival of Lies where everything is back to front and upside down. 

There is plenty of action, but often the plot is disjointed and difficult to follow. I felt like the author had a clear picture of the story, but didn’t give the reader enough information at times for it all to make sense (like when a big lie happened and characters ended up in a completely different time and place). The characters in the story are very likeable and those who read the first book in this trilogy, The Museum of Thieves, will most likely want to read this book to see what happens to them (which is why I’m labeling it as advisable and not simply optional). 

EL-MS ADVISABLE. Reviewer: M. Mathews, middle school librarian.