As an evil force gains in strength, Haru delves deeper into their questJumping into the whimsical forest backdrop where the previous volume,Haru: Spring (2024), left off, bright blue bird Haru and their pig friend, Yama, continue their fight against the nightmarish skeleton creature Blight. Blight's power has been steadily growing, eventually culminating in the creation of the fearsome Stone Golem. Meanwhile, Haru and Yama find themselves separated. Yama is still coming to terms with her possession of the cursed Stone Heart and its growing power over her, while Haru embarks upon a solitary journey, discovering more about Blight's mysterious backstory as the forest's secrets unfold. Friends Herb, Frei, and Goose (who's Haru's younger sibling) also have exciting side quests; observing the blending of the discrete plot threads is enthralling. Latham's dreamy offering is thoughtfully rendered, with its enchanting worldbuilding and adroitly imagined characters, and it balances both the beauty and destruction that is nature. The pacing is thoughtful and measured (but never too slow), twisting and turning while exploring the themes of feelings, family, and friendship. The earthy palette breathes life into each panel, and the striking scarlet hues in the scenes containing Blight reinforce his villainy. As this series develops, it becomes more and more intriguing; readers will eagerly anticipate subsequent volumes.A lush and immersive sequel to lose oneself in.(Graphic animal fantasy. 8-11)

Gr 4–8— The second in a fantasy series featuring an unlikely hero, Haru, and their best friend Yama, continues the story from Haru Book 1: Spring . Haru, a flightless bird, and Yama, a talkative boar, are in the woods after escaping the shopping mall on their quest to rid Yama of "the heart of briar." They have set into motion a prophecy involving Blight—a tremendous evil that seeks to destroy the land, which is actively seeking Haru to fulfill his rise to power. The color is splendid, switching from humble earth-tones for the heroes to vibrant splashes of red and black when Blight appears. The deliberately jarring juxtaposition, beautiful use of white space, and bleeds enhance the tension, tone, and conflict of the narrative. In one scene, when a golem comes to life, its hand breaks through the panel in a mass of gore to hiss "theeeere," as it points at an escaping prisoner. The neverending arm continues to reach out in subsequent horizontal panels until there is no panel but simply it, instilling heightened fear for the escapee. Genuine friendships, sibling love, positive support in the presence of self-doubt, and resilience are key components in this hero's journey. Bright moments of humor are apparent, but so are difficult, emotional elements, too. This continuing story ends with "to be continued," suggesting more to come. VERDICT An excellent graphic series to hook middle schoolers and a must-purchase for libraries, especially where Haru is popular, and readers will anxiously await the next volume.— Rachel Zuffa