Barnaby Grimes: Return of the Emerald Skull
In this sequel to Curse of the Night Wolf (2008), Barnaby the tick-tock lad (messenger) resumes his adventures as a highstacker (traveler by rooftops rather than roads) in an unnamed city resembling Victorian London. His new friend, Mei Ling, teaches him a seemingly magical martial art, which comes in handy when he challenges evil Catincatapetl, the feared and revered god of “an ancient jungle civilization.” Riddell’s full-page ink drawings and small silhouettes add great visual appeal. The second book in the Barnaby Grimes series, this will please readers with a taste for bloodthirsty adventures and a tolerance for unlikely story lines. Grades 4-6. --Carolyn Phelan