The Monster Storm (Seashell Key #2)

November 1, 2024
Grades K-2 Book 2 in the Seashell Key series begins on the first day of fall in a seaside town. Each of four acts contains three chapters and an adventure featuring the returning group of young friends. Act 1 describes Mateo's attempts, using his vivid imagination, to win at least one of three competitions in the fall festival: best pie, best costume, or best scarecrow. The second section features Sasha and Sophia as they are taught (in a most creative manner) by Lifeguard Luca how to become swimming instructors in the guppy lagoon. Part 3 relays what occurs when a storm arrives: the lights go out and stories of monsters are shared by Eli, Ezra, and Elana in their lighthouse home. In the culminating act, the storm has passed but a dog is missing, and the search is on. Short sentences include much repetition to help young audiences practice their reading, while the entertaining stories and charming illustrations will keep them hooked.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2024
The second installment in the Seashell Key series sees the island's inhabitants enjoying autumn. In the first of four stories, Mateo's determined to win one of the fall festival's competitions. He enters the pie contest, hoping to make up for his lack of baking know-how with enthusiasm; his results are "interesting" (in the words of the judge) but unsuccessful. Next, he enters the costume contest with a wild monster suit, but the judge is Sasha, a no-nonsense youngster who goes for realism above all. Finally, Mateo enters the scarecrow contest, where judge Sophia--Sasha's more free-spirited sister--appreciates his unconventional approach. In the second entry, Lifeguard Luca trains Sasha and Sophia to teach the younger kids how to swim; imaginative Sophia takes the metaphorical instructions literally. In the third story, a long-anticipated storm arrives, and Eli, Ezra, and Elana--three siblings who live in a lighthouse--entertain themselves with not-too-scary tales of "the monster of Seashell Key." In the final entry, following the storm, the trio search for their dog, Pixie, who's gone missing; along the way, they run across various potential monsters (all of which are callbacks to previous stories). Throughout the narrative, Heuer employs the comedic "rule of threes" to create gentle tension and a structure supportive of newly independent readers. In the lively illustrations, Mateo and Lifeguard Luca are brown-skinned, Sasha and Sophia are Black, and the lighthouse trio present white. Whimsical and spritely.(Chapter book. 5-8)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2024

K-Gr 2-The second book of this full-color, illustrated early chapter book series finds the kids of Seashell Key preparing for fall. The wind is blowing, and the waves are crashing on the beach as the town gets ready for the annual fall festival. Mateo is excited to enter contests for best pie, best costume, and best scarecrow. Meanwhile, Sophia and Sasha learn how to teach swim lessons with Lifeguard Luca. As a big storm approaches, Eli, Ezra, and Elana take shelter in their lighthouse and tell scary stories to keep busy. When Pixie the dog goes missing, the friends must work together to find her. Comforting storylines and relatable characters pair with Bontigao's serene, attractive watercolor and pencil illustrations to make this a great first chapter book for kids just moving on from early readers. Short, repetitive sentences and easily decodable vocabulary will both build confidence and entertain. VERDICT Recommended for all collections where early chapter books are in demand.

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.