The Mourning Emporium (Sequel to The Undrowned Child) by Michelle Lovric–OPTIONAL

 Lovric, Michelle  The Mourning Emporium (Sequel to The Undrowned Child) 448 pgs. Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2012. $14.03.  Content: Language: G (0 swears);  Mature Content: PG ;  Violence: PG13.

At the end of the first book, the bad guy, Bajamonte Tiepolo is not fully defeated, so this book starts the whole cycle over again. The two heroic children Teo, the Undrowned Child along with Renzo, the Studious Son –must face exceedingly grim circumstance in order to stop Tiepolo’s newest destructive plot. A new evil Miss Uish tries to stop them as well.

This is not a read alone! This book is stuffed to the gills with references and characters, often obscure, to the first book. The long story is dark, cold, and grim –full of creative and hard to read detailed tortures and situations. While not for me, students who loved the first book may be disappointed by the repeat of the repeat situation of the first book. Who wants to beat the same bad guy twice!?

MS, HS  –OPTIONAL Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.