Now that he's found his secret twin brother, Nolan, and previously unknown uncle, Malcolm, Simon Thorn is finally ready to be a shapeshifting Animalgam. At a hidden school for kids like him, tucked away under New York City's Central Park, he must learn how to shift from animal to animal and how to fight in each body ich is especially difficult since no one knows that Simon, like his brother, is capable of many animal forms, something that will make them both targets across the five kingdoms. They're also both hiding from the sinister Orion, now the all-powerful Beast King. To stop Orion and save his mother, Simon must trust his friends to be by his side as he travels across the country, something that won't come easy. Simon is likable and brave, and his hesitance to lose the family he's just gotten will endear him to middle-grade readers. Buy this and keep up with the series as it delves deeper into the enchanting world of Animalgams.

Simon and friends journey from their NYC Animalgam academy (for child shapeshifters) to Arizona to rescue Simon's mother from his evil grandfather. Simon is also determined to secure a powerful weapon and must learn to trust those closest to him. Despite convoluted alliances, this action-packed sequel to Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den does expand on the series' promise of animal magic.

Simon Thorn and his friends return to face new challenges at school and in the Animalgam world.Until recent events (Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den, 2016), Simon believed he was an average white kid living in New York City. Upon learning that he was an Animalgam, a human who can communicate with and transform into animals, he entered a strange world filled with hierarchies, kingdoms, and estranged family members. On top of that, the sudden realization that Simon is also an heir to the Beast King, a fearsome ruler of legend who could shift into any animal he wanted, has hindered Simon's education at the Leading Animalgam Institute for the Remarkable. He refuses to shift forms in the pit for fear that he may turn into an animal he is not supposed to and reveal his secret. Despite his heavy heart and poor performance in school, Simon is committed to rescuing his mom from his grandfather. His Animalgam friends (all evidently white save Latina Winter)—and cheeky Felix the mouse—remind Simon that he still has allies who understand him and support his resolve to leave LAIR and find his mother in Arizona. In this sequel, Carter fleshes out the Animalgam world and strengthens secondary characters while delivering enough unpredictable and satisfying twists to ensure that it lives up to the first book's charm. A fan-pleasing sequel that will have readers anticipating the next installment. (Fantasy. 8-12)