This second leveled-reader Grow & Read version of the popular middle-grade series, The Nocturnals, does not disappoint. Designed for stage two readers ds just learning to read independently is tale uses plenty of important vocabulary words, easily decipherable within context, while showing how friends who stick together can facedown even the meanest bully. A blue-bellied snake decides that Bismark, the loud but tiny sugar glider, will make a perfect snack, causing the usually docile Tobin, a pangolin, to unsheathe his impressive claws, ready to come to Bismark's defense, and Dawn, the mysterious fox, to join their united front. The snake admits defeat and slithers away, leaving behind its skin, which the Nocturnal Brigade promptly fashion into capes and scarves. Vivid illustrations pop off crisp white pages. Brief sentences in an oversize font, separated by plenty of white space, won't overwhelm nascent readers. This successful endeavor manages to maintain the spirit of the original series while showing respect for new devotees.