The Tower of Time

January 1, 2022
Max and Mary uncover family secrets during a time-traveling mission. In this third series installment, plucky Max questions her relationship to Mary and explores its roots. But before she confronts her, Max and her group of noble Midknights must first find Mary--a thief wanted for stealing food--and journey from their home kingdom of Byjovia to the realm of Klunk, Mary's homeland and Byjovia's sworn enemy. Along the way, expected hilarity ensues: pesky pirates, a dragon ride, much magical mayhem (including spells gone wrong that turn people into a cat and an apple), and copious puns and gags. Eventually, Max and Mary find the mystical Tower of Time, attempting to travel back in time and see if they can untangle their pasts in hopes of making a new future and saving those they love. With its medieval-inspired setting, rollicking antics, and zippy pacing pairing comics panels with bursts of text, Peirce's newest offering is perhaps the most substantial plotwise, tying up loose ends from previous volumes with a happily-ever-after ending rather than a cliffhanger. However, the twists are not particularly revelatory; most readers will be able to easily guess the big reveal. Predictability aside, fans of the series should be pleased with the tidy ending. In the black-and-white illustrations, Max and Mary read as White; secondary characters present as having a wider range of skin tones and hair textures. A pleasing wrap-up. (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 7-12)

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