Silver Batal and her beloved water dragon Hiyyan continue their adventures across the sea and skies in Silver Batal: Race for the Dragon Heartstone , a middle-grade fantasy adventure from K.D. Halbrook with illustrations by Ilse Gort. Silver Batal and her best friend, Hiyyan, have narrowly escaped the greedy clutches of Queen Imea. With the queen’s trackers hot on their tails, Silver and Hiyyan head into an exciting frozen world filled with ferocious ice dragons, new friends, and new foes. But when Hiyyan suffers a poisonous bite from a deadly dragon, Silver must find a legendary dragon heartstone to heal him. Their search leads to the mysterious Keep, the home of the reclusive and mysterious Watchers, where nothing is quite as it appears... Perfect for fans of Roshani Chokshi and Sayantani DasGupta, this thrilling follow-up to Silver Batal and the Water Dragon Races will capture your heart. Gr 4-7-With wicked Queen Imea's trackers in hot pursuit, Silver and her dragon companion Hiyyan flee the deserts of Jaspaton and find themselves in the frozen wastelands, accompanied by her friend Mele, her mentor Nebekker, and their water dragons. When Hiyyan is poisoned by a Screw-Claw dragon's attack, it becomes clear that the girl needs a dragon heartstone in order to heal him. Where to get such a heartstone is a mystery (Nebekker owns the only one ever heard of), so the companions begin a dangerous quest to find the Watchers, who supervise all the knowledge in the world. Of course, others, including Silver's former hero, Sagittaria Wonder, still want to capture the threesome's dragons, and it's up to Silver to keep her crew, and their dragons, safe from predators both human and animal. Although there's plenty of action, the second installment has a somewhat less frantic pace than the first one. While it lacks the excitement of the first book's culminating race, this sequel makes up for it with a little more character development: Silver must make difficult choices that will change her life forever. While not a standalone novel, readers who enjoyed its predecessor will like this one as well. VERDICT Purchase where the first book in the series is popular, or buy both if Tui T. Sutherland's "Wings of Fire" series circulates briskly.-Elizabeth Friend, Wester M.S., TXα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. "A gripping sequel full of adventure, bravery, fear, and self-discovery." ― Kirkus Praise for Silver Batal and the Water Dragon Races : “An imaginative delight.” ―Sayantani DasGupta, New York Times –bestselling author of the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series “Silver and her dragon, Hiyyan, will race into your heart.” ―Kamilla Benko, author of the Unicorn Quest series. “Nonstop adventure and a brilliantly realized world―I never wanted to leave Silver’s side!” ―Amie Kaufman, New York Times –bestselling author of Elementals: Ice Wolves “A fun, fast-paced adventure with an engaging supporting cast in which young fantasy lovers will delight.” ― Booklist “Hand this to the Rick Riordan crowd, or to kids who like Tui Sutherland’s Wings of Fire series.” ― School Library Journal “A rip-roaring adventure. Halbrook’s worldbuilding includes a rich taxonomy of water dragons who are fully realized, with emotions, loyalty, and aspirations.” ― Kirkus K. D. Halbrook grew up in California, surrounded by the gorgeous art, food, family bonds, and Lebanese American family quirks that inspired the world of Silver Batal . She’s also the author of the middle-grade novel Smoke and Mirrors , as well as several young adult titles under the name Kristin Halbrook. She currently resides in Seattle with her family.