(3) YA Worldweavers series. Recruited to help the Federal Bureau of Magic, Thea learns about her own special abilities as well as whom she can and cannot trust. Unlike the first two books, whose pace occasionally dragged, this final book in the trilogy is a fast-moving magical adventure about the meaning of friendship, the responsibilities of those with extraordinary power...and Elemental pigeons.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) 4-6 Quantum Prophecy series. Teen superhumans Danny and Colin (The Awakening, The Gathering) are racing to save the world from corrupt national governments while simultaneously coping with the development of their new superpowers and also testing their own loyalties. There's plenty of good old-fashioned comic-book action coaxing the clunky plot along to its cliffhanger ending.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(3) YA In a dystopian future London (walled off following the Animal Plague), mutant twins Ellie and Mika are in trouble. Ellie, kidnapped, is presumed dead by everyone but Mika, who must enter a virtual-reality arcade-game contest to win a chance at finding her. The book has plenty of fast-paced action, a deeply disturbing setting, and the expected Big Secret.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(3) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. Last Apprentice fans will be gratified by this volume, which includes the backstories of John Gregory (the Spook), witch Alice, and witch assassin Grimalkin (those new to the series will be mystified). Like the other entries, this book is clearly written, in an old-fashioned and deliciously gloomy way, and evocatively illustrated with Arrasmith's dark pictures.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(3) YA A king cursed to be a bear and a hound who was a woman must quest together to save their magical land. This compelling companion story to The Princess and the Hound follows the characters first as creatures and later as humans. Harrison's use of myth to explore the complex relationship between man and beast is striking.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) 4-6 Mythic Misadventures series. In their third story, ancient Grecians Pandora, Iole, Alcie, and Homer go on another totally cool quest. They've already tackled Jealousy and Vanity; this time it's Laziness. Pandy and her friends try to stay one step ahead of Hera while rectifying an awful mistake. The self-consciously cheeky romp liberally applies teen slang (sometimes forced) and girl-power bonding to ancient Greek adventure.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(3) 4-6 Wealthy Tad Spencer switches bodies with transient carnival kid Bob Snarby and becomes embroiled in Oliver Twist-like adventures. Eventually, Tad (as Bob) uncovers an evil plot involving his own parents experimenting on children while manufacturing beauty products. Told entirely from Tad's perspective, Horowitz's dramatic take on a Freaky Friday-ish theme is enjoyably suspenseful.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) 4-6 Magickeepers series. Skateboarder Nick is an ordinary American kid. Then he finds out he's a Gazer, child of prophecy and the lost prince of a Russian tribe of Magickeepers. The Magickeepers reveal themselves to Nick on his birthday and train him to perform in a Las Vegas show. Though the themes are pat and predictable, the setting is original.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jen Corace. In this Victorian-set Nancy-Mitford-meets-Jane-Austen-meets-Lemony-Snicket farce, sixteen-year-old Petronella Arbuthnot's coming-out ball is threatened by her guardian's sudden and unexpected penchant for eating bugs. Sophisticated Victorian language is broken into palatable bite-size chapters.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) YA Marr's eerie supernatural soap opera builds on the interpersonal and political intrigues established in Wicked Lovely. Aislinn, now the new Summer Queen, attempts to maintain her relationship with mortal Seth, whose bid to become a faery becomes part of a larger power struggle within Faerie. Though occasionally lacking direction, this sequel hooks readers with plenty of angst and strong emotional underpinnings.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) YA As Zira trains to become a warrior priestess, the only clue to her past is her badly scarred face. Then an attack on her home reawakens her memories, revealing that she is heir to a dispossessed kingdom and niece to its evil king. Zira is a strong heroine who deals with compelling problems, but the villain's motivation is utterly mystifying.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) YA Tildi and her friends (An Unexpected Apprentice) are in trouble, captured by religious fanatics and in possession of a powerful, mysterious magic tome that will only suffer Tildi's touch. Opening with a recap of previous events, Nye moves swiftly on to a complicated fantasy adventure story that, with female characters in most main roles, reads like Tolkien for a feminist world.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by David Parkins. This oversize, heavily illustrated volume is presented as the diary of Iliona, a young Greek girl captured and sold as a house slave in ancient Rome. Though the cartoony illustrations are sometimes jarring, readers will find themselves learning about such topics as Roman government, dress, and sanitation, while engaged in Iliona's adventures. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) YA In this third Nicholas Flamel book, Paris is in ruins, and mustache-twirling Dee is still hunting Nicholas and twins Sophie and Josh. To fulfill the prophecy, Flamel must shuttle the twins to insane Gilgamesh for water-magic training. Though point of view continues to be confusing, readers will be rewarded by the story's complex plot, including thrilling escapes and ancient legends.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(3) 4-6 Lilibit can control magical stones and pass their power to others. Unfortunately, someone wants her dead. She joins forces with six abandoned children, including Todd, who talks with birds, and they fight to become warriors. Smoothly written with a direct, youthful voice, the story effectively combines modern technology with images from folklore and mythology and manages to be mysterious without being coy.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) YA Living in the Ancient World series. This series provides concise histories of ancient worlds. Subjects include diet, religion, war, crafts, government, medicine, and myths. The sophisticated texts are bolstered by well-chosen photographs and effective illustrations, including maps. Though readers may be deterred by the tiny type and crowded pages, the books are good basic starters for those interested in past cultures. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Living in the Ancient World titles: Living in Ancient Egypt, Living in Ancient Greece, Living in Ancient Mesopotamia, Living in Ancient Rome, and Living in the Middle Ages.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) YA Living in the Ancient World series. This series provides concise histories of ancient worlds. Subjects include diet, religion, war, crafts, government, medicine, and myths. The sophisticated texts are bolstered by well-chosen photographs and effective illustrations, including maps. Though readers may be deterred by the tiny type and crowded pages, the books are good basic starters for those interested in past cultures. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Living in the Ancient World titles: Living in Ancient Egypt, Living in Ancient Greece, Living in Ancient Mesopotamia, Living in Ancient Rome, and Living in the Middle Ages.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) YA Living in the Ancient World series. This series provides concise histories of ancient worlds. Subjects include diet, religion, war, crafts, government, medicine, and myths. The sophisticated texts are bolstered by well-chosen photographs and effective illustrations, including maps. Though readers may be deterred by the tiny type and crowded pages, the books are good basic starters for those interested in past cultures. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Living in the Ancient World titles: Living in Ancient Egypt, Living in Ancient Greece, Living in Ancient Mesopotamia, Living in Ancient Rome, and Living in the Middle Ages.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) YA Living in the Ancient World series. This series provides concise histories of ancient worlds. Subjects include diet, religion, war, crafts, government, medicine, and myths. The sophisticated texts are bolstered by well-chosen photographs and effective illustrations, including maps. Though readers may be deterred by the tiny type and crowded pages, the books are good basic starters for those interested in past cultures. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Living in the Ancient World titles: Living in Ancient Egypt, Living in Ancient Greece, Living in Ancient Mesopotamia, Living in Ancient Rome, and Living in the Middle Ages.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(4) YA Living in the Ancient World series. This series provides concise histories of ancient worlds. Subjects include diet, religion, war, crafts, government, medicine, and myths. The sophisticated texts are bolstered by well-chosen photographs and effective illustrations, including maps. Though readers may be deterred by the tiny type and crowded pages, the books are good basic starters for those interested in past cultures. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Living in the Ancient World titles: Living in Ancient Egypt, Living in Ancient Greece, Living in Ancient Mesopotamia, Living in Ancient Rome, and Living in the Middle Ages.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard