The second volume in this early reader series once again stars science-loving Freddy von Frankenstein, monster big brother, F.M., and were-cat sister, Riya, who live on a supernatural mountain in Nepal. In this volume, Freddy is looking forward to the festival of Biska Jatra, but first he has to help clean the palace. Strange things keep happening, though—his dad’s bubble experiment goes wrong and his mom’s cooking explodes. They think he caused the mayhem, so he enlists F.M. and Riya to help him find the cause.
As with this first volume, this one conveys gentle social-emotional lessons about being oneself, embracing differences, formed families, and more. While there is no clear LGBTQ inclusion in this volume, there is in the fourth volume of the series (and author Cort Lane has been on GLAAD’s Kids & Family Advisory Council since 2017), so I am listing this book in the database for those who wish to read the series in order.
The book contains plenty of action, excitement, and fantastical creatures, making it a fun tale for readers stepping up from picture books.
