Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Time has passed since Ben Arnold ventured into The Secret Country. He's hoping that what he did there was enough to save what is left of its creatures, and land, and his mother. She's doing so much better now! But, Ben knows in his heart that eventually his mother will have to go back and assume her rightful role as Queen of Eidolon.

Knowing, and hoping against it, can't possibly prepare Ben for how quickly that day comes. Even though part of Ben hopes that he might be able to go, too. Imagine his surprise, and the rest of the family's shock, when Isadora announces that she's taking baby Alice with her, and that Alice is destined to be Eidolon's next queen! Ben is speechless, big sister Ellie is jealous, and Dad is more than a little bit concerned.

Isadora and Alice are escorted through the door to Eidolon by a centaur, with good old Iggy in tow, but not before discovering that baby Alice has suddenly started talking, and seems to know everyone's name. And Ellie forms a little crush on the centaur. Ellie sends her father and Ben back to the car so she can be alone for a minute. Presumably she is upset, but what she really wants is a chance to explore the entrance. When she disappears through it, Ben and his father have no choice but to follow.

Suddenly everyone seems to be in a huge mess! Ellie is captured by the Dodman and locked in a dungeon. Ben has to rescue her, without letting his mom find out -- she has enough to worry about. Isadora is trying to form alliances and put her country back together. And Dad, well, it's easier to just put him in an enchanted sleep.

Ben seems almost worse off than before. Not only are there a whole bunch of new creatures who may or may not be friends, there are old enemies that he knows enough to be afraid of, plus his big sister to rescue, and his parents and baby sister to worry about! With the help of new and old allies, and a mysterious prophecy, they should be able to make it out alive and relatively unharmed. Right?

The characters from the first book just get more and more interesting as the story continues, and the new ones are great fun, too! The adventures continue almost non-stop as well. And everything has just the right edge of humor mixed in. If you liked THE SECRET COUNTRY, you won't be disappointed in THE SHADOW WORLD. And if you're anything like me, you'll be waiting very anxiously for the next book to find out the fate of the Arnold family and Eidolon. ( )