I love reading these books out loud for family story time. I love doing the Gum Baby voice. I love sulky Anansi trapped in a cell phone and getting to see more of Tristan's boxing. I love Keelboat Anne with her big hair and big voice.

Not everything about this book is fun, however, Mbalia handles the trauma Tristan and other characters have experienced with a gravity that feels appropriate to a middle grade level -- acknowledging that just because you "won," it doesn't make everything "fine," but without weighing down the story too much.

Tristan is a kid who leads with his heart and then with his fists -- hopefully someday he'll get better at asking for help/guidance, but the impulsivity makes sense for his character.

Can't wait for the third volume. ( )

audio - children's middlegrade fiction (adventure and humor)

This is easily one of my very favorite series under the "Rick Riordan presents" label -- the storytelling and worldbuilding is excellent, and narrator Amir Abdullah's Gum Baby cracks me up every time.

Recommended for any kids who enjoy the humor of the Percy Jackson series, AND for any kids who enjoy reading about melanated heroes. ( )

Enjoyable middle grade fantasy where we get to revisit the world of Alke, and I greatly enjoyed getting to see some of the Gods of Midpass that we didn't meet in the first book (Keelboat Annie and Old Man River were my favorites).

This one wasn't as strong to me as the first book in the series, I think partly because my sense of Tristan's trauma wasn't as strong comparatively. He went through a lot in book one, and I'm not surprised he has some form of PTSD dealing with it. However, the grief of losing his best friend in book one just felt more real to me.

On the other hand, getting to see some of the story of rebuilding after the big battles in book one was great. Fantasy stories often end before all the clean-up and repair gets started, so I always appreciate when authors show how much damage was caused when the hero saved the world, and how not all of those who were saved see the hero's actions as actually "saving the world."

This is definitely worth reading, though be warned that even though the book's plot gets tied up pretty neatly at the end, it does leave us with a major series hook. It's not quite a cliffhanger, but it's obvious that there's at least one more book to come after this one. ( )

Most Rick Riordan Presents books are a kind of overwhelming "Who's Who" of a mythology or folklore, and the Tristan Strong series is no exception. However, the Tristan Strong series also brings well developed characters and fast-paced but coherent plots to the table. And so far, each volume has a self-contained story, with a message about cultural and individual trauma. They're a real stand out! ( )