Molly and her friends take on giant mutant creatures in this second book in the hilarious and poignant Far Flung Falls middle grade sci-fi series set in 1980s Ohio—perfect for fans of Stuart Gibbs and James Ponti! The mystery of the giant brother-stealing robot may have been solved, but a new set of troubles for Molly and her friends has just begun. Strange things are happening once again in Far Flung Falls. Where have all the pets gone? And who—or what—is behind the disappearances? Naturally, everyone is looking to Molly for answers. Only this time, she’s as clueless as anybody else. What’s more, between dad’s new girlfriend, fifth grade homework, and her friend Margo’s wild schemes, Molly’s already got more than enough to deal with. Still, she feels the pressure of everyone’s expectations, and that pressure only mounts when the list of vanished pets grows to include her beloved cat, Crank. Determined to find her, Molly hops back on her revamped bike, Pink Lightning, and together with Arvin, Leonard, and a few new faces, Molly sets off in search of answers. But nothing can prepare them for what they find…or what to do when it finds them. An action-packed romp with heart. ― Kirkus Reviews "An absolute blast of a page-turner, jam-packed with laugh-out-loud humor, a boatload of heart, and more action than you might believe can fit into a single book. I can't wait to read more adventures from Far Flung Falls!" -- Jarrett Lerner, author of EngiNerds and Geeger the Robot, on Molly and the Machine “Maybe Molly McQuirter hasn’t always been the best big sister to her brother Wally, but she comes through when it really matters! Erik Jon Slagerup’s debut MOLLY AND THE MACHINE introduces a host of eccentric characters, a “villain” with a heart-rending origin story, a madcap adventure that won’t quit—and a heroine who finds more gumption, courage, and allies than she ever knew she had. Readers will be cheering her on from start to finish!” -- Margaret Peterson Haddix, New York Times bestselling author, on Molly and the Machine “A delightful adventure with a nostalgic twist.” -- Kirkus Reviews on Molly and the Machine Erik Jon Slangerup grew up in a magical time before cell phones or the internet. It was called the eighties. He spent most of it roaming outdoors unsupervised, which inspired him to write tales of adventure, like the middle grade Far Flung Falls series. He has also written several picture books, including the award-winning Dirt Boy . Erik is the father of five, which has been his biggest adventure yet. He lives in Columbus, Ohio. Discover more at ErikJonSlangerup.com. Chapter 1: Metamorphosis CHAPTER 1 METAMORPHOSIS From the day they were hatched, Seven, Eight, and Nine knew deep in their hindbrains how lucky they were. And not just the three of them. The luck extended to all 17,361 of their brothers and sisters too. The fact that every last one of them was still alive and wriggling right now was practically a miracle, against all odds for a school of young tadpoles. Typically, after a mere week of life, before they’d even formed eyeballs, more than half of them would have already been someone else’s lunch. But today, on the eve of their fifth week, their number hadn’t dwindled by one. This was all explained to them by their father. Perched atop the toothy ridge of a massive metal cog, he kept watch over them constantly. Just above him, the moonlight spilled in from a large circular hole in the ceiling, the single opening to a wider world beyond the steel fortress they called home. “But who would want to eat us?” Nine asked. The great bullfrog lifted his head to the opening above them all, the silvery light illuminating his lumpy edges. “You must understand, my children, that until you grow, anything and everything in the pond outside these walls will see you as nothing more than food… even other frogs.” This sent a ripple of shock throughout the hatchery. With every tail aflutter, the dark water churned around them. “Papa?” Eight asked. “So… does that mean… will you eat us?” “No! No! For croak’s sake. But any frogs that aren’t your father might. That’s why we hatched you here. Now go and eat your algae.” At once they obeyed. Thousands of tiny mouths found a spot and began nibbling. The algae were plentiful, creeping across the steel walls that surrounded them. That’s what made this the very best of hatcheries. Not the algae but the walls. They were especially helpful when everything that wasn’t your father was trying to eat you. It was a sanctuary. Before it was a hatchery, it had been something called a robot. A very large one. And that robot had died in a charred, smoldering heap. But now its body was filled with life once again—with theirs. Seven, Eight, and Nine could move about the robot’s interior as far as their tails could take them. They were free to go anywhere, except for the Far End, toward the back of the chamber. The Far End was where the water bu