Keri Collins (Children's Literature)
Young Edward and Moongobble, now a full magician, join their magical friends in the fourth book in the “Moongobble and Me” series by popular and prolific author Bruce Coville. When Snelly, young daughter of the Queen of the Mischief Monsters, runs away from home and ends up in Moongobble’s garden, the magician with imperfect spell-casting abilities receives an official assignment from the Society of Magicians: return Snelly to her home in Monster Mountain or risk a Mischief War. While on their journey, the unique band of travelers discovers a mystery involving their friend the Rusty Knight, offers to help Snelly’s mother find the kidnapped prince, and braves the remote Fortress Nork. In the process, Snelly learns the importance of friendship and realizes that little brothers are not so bad after all. Engagingly illustrated by Katherine Colville, this quick-paced chapter book is a fun foray into the world of fantasy for children who are not yet ready for darker tales. Take archetypal characters and elements of the fantasy genre, mix with adventure, mystery, and age-appropriate humor, and you have a series that is sure to cast a spell on newly independent readers. 2007, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $15.99. Ages 9 to 12.

Janie Barron (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 20, No. 3))
Life has been boring since Edward’s friend Moongobble became a full magician. But that all changes when Snelly, daughter of the Queen of Mischief Monsters, comes into their lives. Snelly has run away from home, and Edward and his friends find out that they must get her back home before her mother starts a Mischief War. After they return Snelly to her mother at Monster Mountain, they find out they must help the queen get back an egg stolen from her castle. In the end, Snelly is glad to be back home and help take care of the new prince-to-be. (Moongobble and Me). Fiction. Grades 2-4. 2007, Simon & Schuster, 73p., $15.99. Ages 7 to 10.