There’s a slew of sequels and companion novels coming out in the next few months, and instead of just listing them, I present, in the spirit of Pseudoscience, a plot of anticipation level vs. expected surprise:
The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi (May 1): I expect another riveting, character-driven story framed by climate apocalypse.
The Boxcar Children Beginning: the Aldens of Fair Meadow Farm by Patricia MacLachlan (Aug. 1): the Boxcar Children, unfortunately, were never the kind of books that stood up to repeated readings, so I’m wary. But it’s Patricia MacLachlan. And she writes about farms/rural life like nobody’s business.
The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee by Tom Angleberger (Aug. 7): a fortune-telling Wookiee! What more do you need?
Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale (Aug. 21): I’ve always thought The Princess Academy was a self-contained story. But if Hale is willing to write a sequel, I’ll give it a go.
In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz (Sept. 27): more fairy tales with a real sense of character and story. Can’t wait.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente (Oct. 2): I’ve been itching for this sequel since reading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. There’s talk of September’s shadow–always a deliciously creepy plot device (think Plain Kate).
Return to the Willows by Jacqueline Kelly (Oct. 30): I’m not a big fan of The Wind in the Willows, but I do like The Evolution of Calpernia Tate, so Kelly’s writing will be the main draw here.
Hereville: How Mirka Met a Meteorite by Barry Deutsch (Nov. 1): more world-saving by a sword-wielding 11-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl!
Son by Lois Lowry (Nov. 2): Gabriel as a teenager…I admit, when I first read the summary on Lois Lowry’s blog, I winced. It was shocking enough to find the definitive ending of The Giver in Messenger. Do I really want to read about Jonas as a parent? Still, there’s no avoiding this book, and I know I’ll plunge in torn between hope and dread.
