Health & Fitness
Book Series for Kids That Don't Disappoint
Sometimes the second installment in a book series doesn't live up to the promise of the first. This is not the case for the books profiled this week.
This week I am focusing on Round Two, the second installment in a book series.
So often I fall in love with a new story, only to be disappointed with the next segment in the narrative. But not this week. Three stories that I loved from the start now have new extensions to their stories and they are good, so good in fact that a few I like better than the originals!
Please take a look at these wonderful series. I can say without hesitation that if your kids like the first book, they'll love the second! To see all my selections, visit my website at www.onegreatbook.com
Title: The Candy Shop War: Arcade Catastrophe
Author: Brandon Mull
Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Target: Grades 5-8
Series: Yes. The first book is The Candy Shop War.
Find out what's happening in Los Altoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
What this book is about:
In this sequel to The Candy Shop War, friends Nate, Summer, Trevor and Pigeon are thrust again into magical mayhem. This time a wizard is using the games at Arcadeland to recruit kids to become part of his private clubs. They earn stamps that allow them to fly, swim indefinitely, run at great speed or be almost invincible. These clubs then compete to acquire certain objects that will help the wizard gain more power. Can our friends infiltrate these clubs and stop the wizard from obtaining magic that will allow him to control the world?
Why I love this book:
I have to say that while I enjoyed the first book, I did think that the second book was even better. In the first book, the kids are wrestling with some fairly difficult moral choices, which made it dark at times. In the second book, their actions are less morally weighted, and Mull provides a lot of non-stop action.
I also quite liked the arcade theme. The kids working towards prizes, and the teams competing was very relatable and fun so I think kids will definitely be turned on by the premise. The magic was also used very effectively to move the story forward.
Who this book is for:
This book is 426 pages, which is quite a lot of story. Kids have to be able to digest a book that size, which is why I have targeted it to an older audience. I would also recommend reading The Candy Shop Wars first, but you could get away with not reading them in order.
Final thoughts:
The first book was originally intended as a stand-alone, but I am so pleased that Brandon Mull didn’t stop there. It even feels as though he has kept the door open for a third installment, so I will be patiently waiting ... OK, maybe not so patiently!
