Mindscape: The Ability, Book 2

Several characters are in danger of violent death. Protagonist Chris spends most of the book dodging the mind control and murderous revenge of Ernest Genever, whose brother was killed by Chris in Book 1. Although the intent is sometimes benign and sometimes evil, exploring people's minds without their consent is at the story's core and occurs frequently. As the book begins, Chris uses telekinetic powers against a bully. Later he finds himself tossed around in the air at a heavy metal concert. One character's mind is wiped blank by another's mind-invasive techniques.

The villain bribes a man to distract one of the kids' teachers by pretending to be in love with her; the flirtation includes hand-kissing and mention of kisses and foot massages. An attraction is quietly growing between Chris and classmate Daisy, his most consistently reliable friend.

Parents need to know that Mindscape, the sequel to The Ability, brings more thrills, suspense, danger -- and surprises -- as 12-year-old protagonist Chris Lane and his classmates continue to cultivate their ability to explore and manipulate other people's minds. Some parts of the story may be too scary or intense for younger readers: Chris' mother is constantly depressed because his father was killed in the war; Chris is haunted by guilt over the death of a boy he was forced to kill to protect others, and the boy's brother is bent on avenging his twin's death. A villain kidnaps people and tries to kill them. The ethical and emotional implications of mind control -- and specifically the ability to erase unwanted memories -- are important themes. One of the adult characters gets a comic transformation when the villain bribes a man to pretend he's in love with her.