Starred Review Readers, rejoice! Here at last is the masterful sequel to Vango (2014). Our young hero remains on the run, pursued by dark forces and still ignorant of his true identity. Also being pursued are the notorious arms dealer Voloy Viktor and the pirate Cafarello, who may have killed Vango's parents. Their lives are cleverly entwined with Vango's, as are many others in a cast of characters that runs two full pages. From Ethel B. H. (the Scottish heiress whom Vango loves) and Mademoiselle (his nurse, who has been captured by the Russians) to Dr. Basilio (hopelessly in love with the missing Mademoiselle) and Padre Zefiro (Vango's mentor, leader of the invisible monastery of Arkudah), each of them are beautifully realized. The action is brilliantly operatic as it moves from country to country and from continent to continent. The story runs from 1936 through 1942, which means that it is touched by WWII and the German occupation of France, where meaningful portions of the story are set. But whatever the setting, the story is rich in mysteries, enlivened by surprises, and suffused with suspense. It is so beautifully wrought, it reminds us why we love to read, and there can be no higher praise.

Gr 7 Up-In de Fombelle's action-packed sequel to Between Sky and Earth (Candlewick 2014), Vango continues to search for the man responsible for the death of his parents when he was a baby. The World War II-era story is an intricately woven tale of a young man whose courage is tested in countless ways as he pursues the truth, seeks to understand his own tangled past, and makes sacrifices to help his friends and allies. Familiar fictional and historical figures return in this volume, including police detective Auguste Boulard; Ethel, the Scottish heiress who is in love with Vango; Emilie Atlas, the "Cat," whose walks across the rooftops of Paris allow her to provide valuable information to Vango; Padre Zefiro, Vango's guide and friend; and Commander Hugo Eckener, the airship commander. There's even an appearance by Joseph Stalin. One of the most important scenes centers on the 1937 Hindenberg disaster, which in this installment is a catalyst for one of many plot twists and cliff-hangers that make reading the book a dazzling and demanding experience. The characters move among Paris, New York, and Moscow and experience acts of great loyalty and the consequences of betrayal. It is Vango's certainty in his mission that propels this novel to a satisfying conclusion. "Deep down, this was the only treasure that Vango was after: the secret of his life." VERDICT A first purchase in collections where there are fans of Vango and students who enjoy reading adventurous and ambitious novels like Gregory Maguire's Egg and Spoon (Candlewick, 2014) and Yann Martel's Life of Pi (HMH, 2002). Shelley Sommer, Inly School, Scituate, MA