Gr 2-4 Dory has quite the imagination. She has a monster for a friend, a fairy godmother who understands her, and a nemesis named Mrs. Gobble Gracker. When Dory starts a new year at school, however, she decides that it's time to make a real pal. After all, her monster friend caused a lot of trouble. Rosabelle, a girl her age who has an amazing imagination just like Dory seems like a good option. But Rosabelle doesn't seem to want to spend any time with her. Can Dory win her over? What will happen when Mrs. Gobble Gracker gets in the way? The story is well written, humorous, and engaging. The illustrations are amazingly detailed and complement the text well. The characters are fairly well developed and will grab young readers. Fans of Annie Barrows's "Ivy and Bean" (Chronicle), Barbara Park's "Junie B. Jones" (Random), and books with a little bit of humor and fantasy mixed into a school setting will enjoy reading this second installment in the "Dory" series. VERDICT A great addition to any library collection. Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT

Known as Rascal in her family, Dory is high-spirited, creative, and frequently in trouble. Plenty of kids have imaginary friends, but supercreative Dory has two d an imaginary enemy as well. A new school year is starting, though, and she longs for a real friend. Does that mean leaving the others behind? From the first day of class, Dory tries to befriend Rosabelle. Before the story ends, she discovers that the girl's enormous talent for imaginative play adds a new dimension to her own fantasy world. Dory's lively first-person narrative is illustrated with similarly expressive line drawings, which take up about as much space as the text in this appealing early chapter book. A former teacher, Hanlon perceptively portrays the dynamics of Dory's life at home, in the classroom, and on the playground. The story has its tender moments, but kids will find plenty to laugh about as well. A fine sequel to the popular series opener, Dory Fantasmagory (2014).