Gr 3–6— Turns out the crisis from Art Club's last visit to the Institute (Doodleville) wasn't totally averted: a baby from a painting was accidentally kidnapped! Now, Drew and friends have to find a way to sneak the baby back into his painting without Mrs. Krong noticing. Their top secret "reverse heist" doesn't exactly go as planned, however, and inadvertently triggers a schism between various masterpieces whose subjects come to life. Can they save the Institute before the art—and their club—is torn apart? Sell's whimsical, off-the-wall tone makes the art gallery both accessible and interactive, providing possible opportunities for real-life interactions. Dynamic paneling keeps the pace quick and draws attention. The mix of personal styles and ensemble focus adds a strong sense of individuality for each of the diverse Art Club members. VERDICT A creative sequel with wide appeal to artists and art appreciators alike.

Painted figures stepping out of their frames create chaos at the art museum-paralleled by conflicts among young visitors trying to restore peace.The freehand drawings that came to life and made mischief in 2020's series opener both help and hinder Drew and her sketchbook-toting art club as, in the wake of a repeat outing to the Art Institute of Chicago, the disappearance from a painting of an errant baby wearing a hilariously extravagant hat touches off a wholesale exodus from the rest of the collection. Worse yet, angry disagreements about how, or whether, to restore order come close to breaking up the club even as events take a scary turn when nonbinary rebel TJ casts a spell that turns an already creepy portrait of Dorian Gray into a writhing mélange of different art styles. The dialogue runs to moralistic reflections-on understanding others, what real heroes do, the importance of working together and learning from mistakes, and similar-but there's plenty of silent action in the small (but flexibly shaped and arranged) panels as two-dimensional figures turn the museum's walls into a battleground. Ultimately, the three-dimensional ones both bond and prevail. Along with sage observations about the rewards and value of art, Sell-without identifying the many works he freely redraws-folds in hints for interested art detectives to pursue. Drew reads White in a broadly diverse cast.Heavy-handed on the life lessons but a refreshingly creative take on a Night-at-the-Museum theme. (Graphic fantasy. 8-12)