From School Library Journal
Grade 5-7–This sequel to
May Bird and the Ever After (S & S, 2005) picks up the story with Ellen Bird mourning the loss of her daughter. Meanwhile May and her pet, Somber Kitty, find themselves on a spectral train in Ever After. Anderson has clearly had a great deal of fun creating a world not so different from our own where spirits go after death, and readers will love her humorous jabs at popular culture. Joined by her ghost companions, May journeys through spooky haunts such as Risk Falls, the home of the spirits of daredevils who died in sports such as climbing or surfing. May's quest is to find the Lady of the North Farm, the one person who can tell her where she can find the portal that will send her home. At the same time, Bo Cleevil is trying to snuff out Ever After, and May is the only one who can save it. It seems odd, particularly within the conventions of this genre, that May's only desire is to return home, leaving her companions without the assurance that she will come back. Readers will need to have read the first book to get the full impact of this one.
–Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
This sequel to
May Bird and the Ever After (2005) finds May Bird and her cat Somber Kitty, who remain stuck in the Afterlife, on their way to the Far North, where they hope to find the Lady of the North Farm and a way home. When their train breaks down, stranding May, Kitty, and their spectral friends, they continues on foot, encountering dangerous spirits and seductive diversions on their journey. The Bogey still wants them, sending first the maniacal Wild Hunters, and then his most dangerous spirit, Commander Berzerko, in pursuit. In the meantime, May remains torn between going home and saving the Ever After from Evil Bo Cleevil. In some scenes Anderson deflates the suspense with contrivance, making the danger seem too cartoonish, but her readable novel gives kids a cast of likable characters and a quirky world to explore. May's uncertainty about her ability to be the warrior she's supposed to be will resonate with readers.
Krista HutleyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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