Gr 1–3— In this sequel, Fred and his friends Luisa and Drake are competing in the Ook and Spook school bake-off competition hosted by the local high school. To dispel his fears about the competition, Fred writes a What-If Poem in hopes that he can imagine a different outcome. Later, when his friend Drake sprinkles a strange baking sugar on their snake pastries, all the pastries in the bake-off come to life and run amok, and the friends transform into various mythological alter-egos inspired by Fred's poem! Fred is Frankinschool, Luisa is Princesa Maria Luisa Octavia, and Drake becomes Medusa. The friends realize their old friend Frank the Ghost is somehow involved in the pastry escape and must work together to find Frank and fix the mess before the judges arrive. Although the various plot points may confuse those who have not read the first book, emerging readers who enjoy stories about less-than-spooky monsters and pastries coming to life will enjoy this new series. Black-and-white illustrations, sprinkled throughout, serve to supplement the story's slightly spooky vibe. VERDICT This is an additional purchase wherever the first title is popular.— Jessica Marie