Gargantis: Legends of Eerie-on-Sea, Book 2
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Action, suspense ramp up with discovery of ancient bottle.
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What's the Story?
Legend has it that the powerful storm that's been battering the town of Eerie-on-Sea is because the monster GARGANTIS has awoken, come out of its cave and is stirring up the skies and the ocean. During the storm, the town's beachcomber finds an ancient, sealed, glass bottle that seems to be glowing, sometimes wiggling, and has mysterious writing etched into its side. A debate arises over who should keep the bottle: the woman who found it, the town museum, or the fisherfolk who claim it's a relic of their patron saint. As the official Lost and Founderer at the Grand Nautilus Hotel, Herbie Lemon is given the task of deciding who the rightful owner is. But it quickly becomes apparent that forces much more sinister than anyone from Eerie are also interested in the bottle. Herbie and his friend Violet will have to outsmart them all, and face down a hooded stranger, a mechanical hermit crab, and even the monster Gargantis to find its rightful owner.
Is It Any Good?
This second installment in a planned fantasy-mystery series has a lot of the charm, suspense, and adventure of the first book, and it adds a lot of menace and action that make it more suspenseful. Lots of favorite, colorful townsfolk return in Gargantis, and of course the dynamic duo of Herbie and Violet, too. The plot moves along quickly, although it follows a familiar path for anyone who's read the first book. The short chapters with cliffhanger or surprise endings keep the pages turning, and make it a great choice for reading aloud.
Author Thomas Taylor's humor in this second book is broader and not quite as clever and cheeky as in Malamander. But Gargantis has more menace, suspense, and action than the first book to keep fans and newcomers guessing about what will come next. Big kids and tweens will relate to Herbie and Violet as they explore themes like having the courage to act even when you're scared, and not letting bad things from the past or the unknown future keep you from fully appreciating each moment as it comes along.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence and scariness in Gargantis. When is it sometimes fun to be a little bit scared? What can you do to feel better when you're scared?
Are Herbie and Violet positive role models? What are their character strengths and weaknesses? Do you like them?
Did you read Malamander? If you did, which book do you like better? If you didn't, would you like to now?
Book Details
- Author: Thomas Taylor
- Illustrator: Tom Booth
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Friendship , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Walker Books U.S.
- Publication date: May 26, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 352
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 8, 2020
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