Titch Proudleaf learns to overcome her doubt and embrace the power of community in Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire, the second in L.M. Wilkinson and Lavanya Naidu's adorable and daring fantasy chapter book series (Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria).
Mouseling mythology framed the famous hero Bravepaw as a real person, but in truth, Bravepaw is a title passed down through the generations. Titch Proudleaf is the new Bravepaw--or so she's been told. Yes, she managed to use the legendary Heartstone staff twice, but her quest with friend Huckleberry and pet puffling Dollop to "use the Heartstone to mend the crack in the world" is not going well. The trek is injurious and Titch can't make the staff work any longer. When Titch and Huckleberry meet roguish "warrior" squirrel Briar Nettlebrush, she tells them about her home, where the squirrels' "fur started to look gray," and they became oddly obedient to a turtle. With this strange magic afoot, the crew set off to rescue the squirrels.
Wilkinson continues to pull from classic fantasy works (with many nods to Tolkien in particular) in this sequel. Titch struggles to believe she's a hero and finds solace in community, an arc reflected in her new squirrel friend, who doesn't know "the difference between alone and lonely." Naidu brings these struggles to the forefront with whimsical, emotive black-and-white illustrations that depict the animals' sadness in solitude and joy in togetherness. Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire is a fun fantasy romp that will likely leave kids wanting a Heartstone staff of their own. --Nicole Brinkley, bookseller and writer