With characters and situations based on his long-running Comic Book Akiko, Writer/Illustrator Mark Crilley does a good job of presenting the reader with the information they may have missed by not reading the first book, but also manages to keep the plot moving forward. He also seems to be getting his children's-book writing chops built up, as I thought this book had a much better style than the first one. The art is great too; simple, yet detailed. The characters are fun, and the story is pretty gentle, so younger readers shouldn't find anything too scary.

Mark Crilley, the author and illustrator of the Akiko novels (and comic from which the novels derive), is in better shape with this second book of the series, mostly because the necessary exposition has already been dealt with in book one. The plot flows quickly, and there is plenty of excitement to keep the story moving, without being too frightening for young children. Being part of a series may make the story hard to follow for those who don't know the story, but there is enough adventure and great storytelling moments to amuse even newcomers.

This book can be enjoyed as a group read with children (there are enough pictures and descriptions to captivate a young audience), or for solo readers who can handle a third- or fourth-grade reading level.