Gargantis (Legends of Eerie-On-Sea #2)

In the opening scene of this sequel to Malamander, a dark and stormy night brings a sinister new guest to the Grand Nautilus Hotel who delivers a strange object to Lost-and-Founder Herbie Lemon—a spiky mechanical shell which scuttles about and plays a sea shanty. This launches Herbie and his spunky friend Violet on a perilous adventure. When a fish-shaped bottle with a mysterious light inside washes up on the beach at Eerie-by-the Sea, it is left in Herbie's care since both Mrs. Flotsam and Dr. Thalassi claim it for their respective enterprises. In pursuit of a fair decision as to who should have it, the young sleuths find themselves on a wild boat journey to find the source of a violent storm, personified as Gargantis, which is threatening the life of the town. Vividly drawn characters and setting, delicious humor, and Herbie's intimate second-person voice contribute to a thoroughly enjoyable story with many twists and turns—though Malamander readers might wish for a few more clues as to how Herbie came to wash up onshore in a lemon crate as a child and just what happened to Violet's parents who were somehow lost at sea. Black-and-white illustrations and a map appear liberally throughout. VERDICT Readers will gobble up this supernatural seaside adventure and eagerly await the next in the series.—Marie Orlando, formerly at Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

"Having already dealt with one legendary sea creature in Malamander (BCCB 9/19), Herbie Lemon and his pal Violet must now face another monster that threatens Eerie-on-Sea...Fans of the first will continue to delight in Taylor's wry humor, and one can only hope for more strange adventures in Eerie-on-Sea." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books