Game of Stars (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #2)

DasGupta once again wittily meshes Bengali folktales, intergalactic science, and a spectacular world of her own creation in a yarn that is part hero's quest, part immigrant coming-of-age tale.

Gr 4-7—In this sequel to The Serpent's Secret, Princess Kiranmala is back, ready to face her nemesis, the Serpent King Sesha, who also happens to be her father. Kiran's friend, Prince Neel, has been kidnapped by Sesha's minions and is being held prisoner deep in an underwater prison; something weird is going on with Prince Lal. Worst of all, Sesha has engineered a game show ("Who Wants to Be a Demon Slayer?") to entice Kiran into his trap. His ultimate aim: to capture the two magical stones that will allow him to vanquish Kiran and achieve immortality. Luckily, there's an array of characters inspired by Bengali folklore, literature, and pop culture to help Kiran complete her quest. Rakkhosh demons on skateboards make an appearance and new figures such as Bangoma and Bangomee (giant pigeons with the heads of humans) are also enlisted to fight the bad guys. Character development is somewhat limited by the sheer number of chase scenes, monster fights, and near misses, but readers who enjoyed the first book will continue to root for Kiran as she finds her true self and stands up for what's right. VERDICT This action-packed sequel is a must-buy where the first book is popular.—Elizabeth Friend, Wester Middle School, TX

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Praise for Game of Stars:

A must-read for every aspiring Demon Slayer! — Soman Chainani, New York Times bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil 

Game of Stars [is] a fun, funny adventure, more exciting than an auto rickshaw ride across dimensions. More Kiranmala, please! — Tracy Baptiste, New York Times bestselling author of The Jumbies

I love this series. — Adam Gidwitz, Newbery Honor winning author of The Inquisitor's Tale and A Tale Dark and Grimm

Praise for Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #1:

* Will appeal to those who like their adventures fast and furious. — School Library Journal, starred review

* This is a series starter that rivals Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief. A breathtaking adventure. — Booklist, starred review

A refreshing take on the hero's quest... laugh-out-loud funny and extremely engaging. — Kirkus Reviews

Never a dull moment for our ordinary-girl-turned-demon-fighting-princess Kiranmala in this hilarious, action-packed romp. Also, there is snot. It's, like, everywhere. This combination of crucial elements is everything I love in a book. A brilliant beginning to a fresh (and potentially sticky) new series! — Lisa McMann, New York Times bestselling author of The Unwanteds