PENNIES

Twelve-year-old Mae Von Rathe and her friends are on a dangerous mission to find people who have disappeared into the otherworldly Dark Sun Side of Blight Harbor.

In a return to the series, this stand-alone prequel takes place during the summer of 1921 and is narrated by Mae, the great-great-aunt of Evie Von Rathe from 2022’s The Clackity. When friends Mae, Lark, Claret, and Brigid discover that Brigid’s cousin Emmi has disappeared, they’re sure that her creepy on-again, off-again boyfriend, Johnny, is responsible. Soliciting the help of ghosts and relying on some magic and supernatural powers of their own, the friends enter a hole in the ground that takes them to the Dark Sun Side, where they face off against magical creatures, ghosts, and threads of the evil that plagued Evie in the original trilogy. Returning fans will enjoy references to the books, but no prior knowledge is required for new readers to enter this haunted world, which comes to life through Senf’s rich, atmospheric writing. The spooks offer high stakes that are framed in a way that’s appropriate for the target audience. Above all, the sisterhood among the girls is touching and feels believably nuanced, highlighting bonds that only time and trust can forge. Cáceres’ eerie black-and-white illustrations appear throughout, helping to bring scenes to life and matching the tone of the story. Lark has light brown skin, and the other girls are cued white.

A compelling and imaginative bookend to a strong series.