All our favorite ancient myths and legends get an epic makeover in Nico Bravo and the Cellar Dwellers , the second volume of Mike Cavallaro's hilarious middle-grade graphic novel series! Got a problem? The seasoned staff at Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop―a kid named Nico Bravo, a sphinx named Lula, and a unicorn named Buck―have got just the thing for you in their inventory of magical merchandise. Nico’s enemy is finally revealed: Ahriman, God of Evil! Ahriman is fed up with Nico thwarting all his heinous plans and sends a shapeshifter named Orcus to Vulcan’s Celestial Supply Shop on a covert mission to take Nico and his crew down. Orcus mistakenly unleashes a dangerous ‘Misery’ from the God of Misfortune’s pouch, threatening everyone in the Supply Shop, but also discovers the missing link between Nico, the Unicorn Wars, and Reality itself! What will happen to Nico and his friends when all their troubles converge in a desperate battle for the fate of the Universe? *Colors by Jeremy Lawson Gr 3–6—The second adventure in the fantastical world of Nico Bravo is an epic, mysterious quest that also delves deeper into character backstories. An orphan, Nico finds a sense of family and belonging in his friends: Vulcan, who owns the Celestial Supply Shop; a sphinx named Lula; and Buck, a tough-talking unicorn. They live and work at the store, where all things arcane are available to every god and monster. A spy is stalking the shop's halls, though, and a monster is accidentally released from the West African god of pestilence and misfortune's pouch, forcing the shop into quarantine and sending Nico and his friends out to capture the escaped monster. However, this monster has the power to petrify, and as Nico plunges into the depths of the shop's cellars, he begins to unravel the mystery of who he is as well as his family's secrets. Bold artwork and clean lettering create a lively, action-packed read. Humorous side comments and references to Nordic, West African, and Roman myths and legends may inspire inquisitive readers to further investigate the origins of these gods and monsters. Familiarity with the first in the series is not a must, as the author provides textual and visual clues. VERDICT A satisfying continuation of the first book; fantasy and graphic novel readers, especially those who love Rick Riordan, will enjoy reading more of Nico's escapades.—Rachel Zuffa, Case H.S., Racine, WI 2020 Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List Selection "Smart, fast-paced fun...filling it's full-color panels with enough intrigue and explosions to keep pages flying." - KIRKUS "It has adventure, battles, self-discovery, and alliterative exclaimations. The art is excellent. The coloring is outstanding. There's tons of humor too." - SEQUENTIAL TART For NICO BRAVO AND THE HOUND OF HADES (Book 1): 2019 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2019 Junior Library Guild Selection "[A] fun, fast-paced graphic novel. VERDICT: An engaging series opener recommended for most middle grade collections." - SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "A real smorgasbord for any fan of myths and legends. [It] features great characters, a plot full of twists and turns, and lots of mythological hi-jinx." - GRAPHIC NOVEL RESOURCES "There's much you'll find to chuckle at here. This is also, though, a substantial and sophisticated adventure yarn." - PAGE 45 Got a problem?The seasoned staff at Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop--a kid named Nico Bravo, a sphinx named Lula, and a unicorn named Buck--have just the thing for you in their inventory of magical merchandise.Nico's enemy is finally revealed: Ahriman, God of Evil! Ahriman is fed up with Nico thwarting all his heinous plans and sends a shape-shifter named Orcus to Vulcan's Celestial Supply Shop on a covert mission to take Nico and his crew down. Orcus mistakenly unleashes a dangerous Misery from the God of Misfortune's pouch, threatening everyone in the supply shop, but also discovers the missing link between Nico, the Unicorn Wars, and Reality itself! What will happen to Nico and his friends when all their troubles converge in a desperate battle for the fate of the Universe? "This book makes me violently happy! I declare WAR on all other books! Other books: prepare for battle!!!" - MARS, god of war "I LOVED this book! I loved the unicorns! And that character who looks like a little cat! And the bad guys! And the monsters! And the good guys! UGH! I LOVED ALL OF THEM!" - VENUS, goddess of love Mike Cavallaro is from New Jersey and has worked in comics and animation since the early 1990s. His comics include Eisner Award–nominated Parade (with Fireworks) , The Life and Times of Savior 28 (written by J. M. DeMatteis), Foiled and Curses! Foiled Again (written by Jane Yolen), Decelerate Blue (written by Adam Rapp), and the Nico Bravo and Eowulf series. Nico Bravo and the Cellar Dwellers ABIS BOOK First Second