The ElseWhere Chronicles

Rebecca, Max, Theo, and Noah may be back home, but life hasn't been easy for them. The book opens with Rebecca in intensive care, suffering from an ailment contracted while in ElseWhere. Max has joined a bike gang, and Noah and Theo have spent the last nine months building a new hideout. This volume has less action than its predecessors and uses mystery and suspense to set up a new adventure. A silent hooded figure approaches Rebecca in the hospital and beckons her to follow, ultimately reuniting her with Noah and Theo. She convinces them to return to ElseWhere to find her a cure. There the friends are once again trapped when their portal unexpectedly closes. Meanwhile, Max is fast on their heels in his attempt to rejoin them. The story ends just as the action begins. There is no narration, and while the dialogue is sufficient, the beautifully drawn images, which vary greatly in perspective, are what move this story. When Rebecca hides on a train, readers view the scene from above and over the shoulder of the conductor as well as from the ground looking up at him as Rebecca does from her hiding spot. The cinematic storytelling, glossy pages, and vivid colors lend the mood of an epic adventure and provide an interesting contrast to the cartoon-style characters. Readers will delight in exploring the beautiful landscapes again and again, and the cliff-hanger ending will leave them wanting more. --School Library Journal