Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Twins meet Bengali mermaids in brief, eco-themed adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
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Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE POISON WAVES: SECRETS OF THE SKY, BOOK 2, 10-year-old twins Kiya and Kinjal are summoned back to the Kingdom Beyond by Princess Pakkhiraj. Something is wrong with the underwater homeland of the water pari, or mermaids with wings, and they want the twins to find out what. On the journey to meet the princess, the twins already sense what's wrong. The rain just feels gross and their feelings do, too -- a familiar lack of caring about anything that they remember from their run-ins with the Chaos Monster on their last visit. Could the monster be to blame? When they make it to the ocean and have a run-in with a squadron of eels under the command of Sesha the snake king, suddenly things are more complicated.
Is It Any Good?
Like the first book of this spinoff series, the mythological creatures in this sequel are fantastic but the story itself lacks originality and depth. Bengali mermaids are pretty cool -- I mean, underwater wings! They're awfully nice and trusting, too, when two 10-year-olds are summoned to their realm to solve their ecological crisis. The princess of the flying horses helps them with a little magic, but it's mostly up to Kiya's science kit and a strange connection to an acid reflux complaint to set them on the right path. And oddly, that right path is past a bunch of polluting factories, not directly to them. Like the last book, the Raja can not be bothered to make green changes that us humans would expect in the real world. There must be a magical workaround, and there is. This brief adventure nearly ends with silly jokes, a party, and joy until the next baddie shows up causing havoc, thus guaranteeing another emergency visit for the twins to the Kingdom Beyond.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Kiya's mistakes in The Poison Waves. Her brother Kinjal often calls her "Dr. Perfecto" because he knows how hard Kiya tries to be perfect. How does that make it harder for her when she does make a mistake just like everyone else?
Why does Kiya pack her science kit to visit the Kingdom Beyond? What does she do with it? How does it help them figure out what's wrong with the water?
What do you think is next for Kinjal and Kira? How will they use their new powers and their compassion for all creatures next to save the day? When do the twins work best as a team?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Sandara Tang
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals ( Ocean Creatures ) , STEM
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Press
- Publication date : October 3, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 240
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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