If you liked Emma-Jean when she fell out of a tree, you will like her in this sequel by Lauren Tarshis.  Emma-Jean is the same analytical, deliberate kid she was in the first book.  (See my review.)    However Tarshis gave Emma-Jean a new set of problems related to boys and first ‘love’in this second novel.  Only once did Emma-Jean revert to manipulative letter writing, and Tarshis could have, should have left it out.

Emma-Jean and her sweet and paranoid friend, Colleen, are actually equal main characters in both narratives; chapters again alternate between Emma-Jean’s voice and Colleens.  The strength of this second novel by Tarshis is that without being didactic, she has managed to provide a great deal of emotional counseling aimed at middle school girls.  The crushes, cat fights, queen bees, and quarrels with friends in the narrative are all too real and as Emma-Jean and Colleen navigate those waters in their distinct manners, the reader will benefit, I believe.

My concerns with both novels, however, are that the storyline and action are most appropriate for younger middle school students.  But Emma-Jean’s large vocabulary will leave some readers of that age struggling.  This is not necessarily a bad thing – we tend to not stretch our students in the United States enough.  But it is a factor which should be considered when recommending the novel.

Emma-Jean and Colleen are both good hearted girls who stretch and grow in self confidence as the narrative unfolds.  Don’t over-think the deceptively simple plot and I believe you will fall in love with Emma-Jean.  Or at least develop a crush.

Once was enough!  Love may be lovelier the second time around, but the sequel to the clever, fresh and funny Once Upon a Marigold just doesn’t blossom.  Queen Olympia is back (as I predicted after reading the original novel. )  Ferris at least doesn’t beat around the bush – the reader learns straight off that Olympia survived being swept downstream in the river, albeit with amnesia.  But after a year, Olympia recovers and returns to Beaurivage her nasty self.

I loved the original and was quite excited to revisit the characters and setting.  But Marigold and Christian, now King and Queen of Zandelphia, remain flat in this sequel.

There are few clever bits… The pace of the story keeps you reading.  (Plus I kept thinking it would get better!)  But the plot just doesn’t work; Olympia may be pushy, but her return to power is poorly explained and unbelievable.  The “something in the air” device is never fully developed.  And the ending for Mr. Lucasa, Susan and Olympia is contrived.  It is a sweet story, but it is borderline didactic, constantly espousing sage wisdom and platitudes.  (Lazy Susan?  Give me a break.)  All in all, this sequel just isn’t as clever, quirky, fresh or funny as the original.

Olympia should have stayed downstream and Ferris should have left Marigold and Christian living “Happily Ever After”.