The Carnival Catastrophe (Problim Children #2)

The distinctive flavor comes both from Lloyd's witty but succinct word mastery and from her unflagging imagination.

The appearance of a new villain, Cheese Breath, and cliff-hanger ending signal more shenanigans to come—and readers will have no problem with that.

Gr 3-6--The Problims are back! In this installment, the perfect seven pick up right where they left off: searching for the pieces of a fabled water witch hidden by their grandfather, which are supposedly the key to something amazing. Mona Problim leads the pack as she and her family try to win an array of contests in the town's Corndog Carnival in order to gain entry to the Pirate Caves, where they suspect their missing mother may be stranded. Mona shines as she figures out (not always gracefully) that everyone has unique value--even her worst enemies. Though new readers may be won over, fans of the first book will most appreciate the backstory revealed in this second volume as they learn of hidden treasure, family feuds, and lost loves. The cast doesn't differ much from in the first installment; the Problims are white, their friend Violet is allergic to air and has severe restrictions on her activities, and most ancillary characters are only briefly described. VERDICT A charming sequel; purchase where the first is popular and where readers enjoy familial magic.--Taylor Worley, Springfield Public Library, OR

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Both text and illustrations offer a nod to Roald Dahl's quirky, juvenile heroes and equally quirky, nasty villains. The distinctive flavor comes both from Lloyd's witty but succinct word mastery and from her unflagging imagination."—Kirkus Reviews