(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Matthew C. Rockefeller. Sebastian, the nerdy and responsible hero of The Door in the Alley, has been kidnapped for the map key he holds in his eidetic memory. His friend Evie sets out to rescue him, hoping to eventually rescue her newly discovered risk-taking grandfather as well. Global quests and dramatic action sequences are informed by personality-driven challenges in this fast-moving, humorously footnoted adventure series.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Matthew C. Rockefeller. Twelve-year-old Sebastian begins working for the mysterious "Explorers Society" after school. He stumbles upon the archives of disgraced explorers called the Filipendulous Five and then meets their leader's orphaned granddaughter, Evie, who's being pursued by evil men. Occasional footnotes and other humorous asides from the omniscient narrator break the fourth wall and ramp up the story's playfulness.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017