Monsters of Fife: Terror Birds

The monster hunters are back on duty! The Anster Royal & Ancient (the R&A) monster hunters—Mr. Harris, Calum, Jamie, and Cat—spring into action when their quiet Scottish coastal town of Anster is suddenly overrun by bizarre, out-of-place animals. Cat’s Nan, herself a former R&A member, steps in to guide Cat through the trickier parts of the mission, including helping her better understand the region’s hidden magic. Together, the R&A rely on teamwork, research skills, and sharp observation to confront a flock of so-called “terror birds.” This sequel picks up where book one ends, but that doesn’t mean newcomers to the series readers will be lost. The author includes enough background information to follow the plot and meet the characters. Those readers who enjoy nonfiction interwoven into fiction will appreciate learning about real-life ­paleontologist Mary Anning as well as many of her discoveries that help the R&A solve their case. Another feature to hook readers is the graphic novel aspects that continue the storyline. Yolen is thoughtful about presenting unknown vocabulary; words are defined in the flow of the story, allowing readers to grasp the meaning along with the characters. A few words that are specific to the location and time period are not defined but readers will grasp them from the context. ­Primary characters are cued white. VERDICT Readers seeking historical fiction rife with ­adventure, monsters, and mysteries will be drawn in by the sequel, and to the series.
—School Library Journal