Wren's Quest (Wren Books)
Grade 4-8-- This follow-up to Wren to the Rescue (Harcourt, 1990) chronicles the adventures of the apprentice magician and her pals Princess Teressa; Prince Connor, a younger son with no standing in his family; and Tyron, an older magic student. Trouble is afoot from the very first paragraph and it isn't long before Wren and Connor are off on a quest to find what may be left of Wren's family, leaving Teressa and Tyron involved in palace intrigue. With so much material to work with (apprentice magician's, a budding romance, mean and stupid relatives), it is a shame that this book is such a humdrum effort. The characters are so lacking in depth that it is difficult at times to tell who is speaking. The plot speeds along, but it is so full of convenient devices and sketchy detail that there is never any chance for readers to be caught up in the action. Buy this one if there is a demand for the first one; otherwise, turn to Lloyd Alexander's Taran Wanderer (Holt, 1967) for magic and an orphan's quest for family. --Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GACopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.