Gr 5 Up-Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley, aka. the Lumberjanes, continue their adventures at Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types with as much verve and panache as in the first volume. Collecting issues five to eight, this work follows the five friends as they confront crazed dinosaurs, possessed insects, and competitive Greek deities. Some unanswered questions from Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy (BOOM! Box, 2015) are cleared upmany of the bizarre goings-on are due to a sibling rivalry between Apollo and Artemis, who have been disguised as campers. As the pals try to aid Artemis in her disagreement with her brother (against their wills), they also struggle with first crushes, friendship troubles, and self-doubt. The creators balance the supernatural high jinks and summer camp standbys (anxious counselors and Capture the Flag) along with poignant coming-of-age moments with a deft and thoughtful hand. The variety of the panels reinforces the energetic pace of each tale, and the psychedelic color palette against forest greens in outdoor daylight scenes and grays and dark blues of nighttime scenes will delight reluctant readers and make graphic novel fans out of neophytes. The feminist leanings of the dialogue, the field guide snippets that open each chapter, and back matter filled with variant covers are the icing on the cake. VERDICT A must-have for all graphic novel collections. Shelley Diaz , School Library Journal

Continuing their quest to uncover magic and be best friends, Mal, Jo, Ripley, April, and Molly earn their Lumberjanes merit badges with aplomb. When a marauding pack of velociraptors invades craft day, the Lumberjanes leap into action, though the dinos only seem to be after Jo, who secreted away one of the golden disks that mark every monstrous critter that arrives at camp. When a creepy old grandma suggests that Jo is really a mystical being in disguise, it drives a wedge into the Lumberjanes. Why would Jo keep secrets from her best friends? But there are bigger problems afoot: one of their camp mates, Diane, is not who she seems, and she's using the Lumberjanes for her own nefarious purposes. Stevenson and Ellis' rip-roaring plot is packed with magic, mayhem, teamwork, and some fantastic jokes, and it's all riotously rendered in Allen's bold and brassy artwork, which clearly depicts even the most pell-mell scenes and perfectly complements the off-the-wall story. The series opener received broad, enthusiastic acclaim, and this follow-up should fare just as well.