Underworlds #2: When Monsters Escape by Tony Abbott

Owen, Sydney, and Jon rescued Dana from the Greek Underworld in the first book, but they had to make a deal with Hades. He let Dana leave if they would capture two giant Cyclops and return them to the Underworld. Somehow, the Cyclops are able to change their shapes and sizes, so the kids are having trouble finding them. They follow the giants to an abandoned power plant and discover they're building something made of metal for Loki, God of mischief. Loki has a plan to take over all the Underworlds, and the kids are the ones who need to stop him.

These books are great for middle grade, reluctant readers. They're full of action and adventure, and they're pretty short; this book was only fifty-six pages long. The author doesn't spend a lot of time developing the characters personalities, so the action moves along quickly. Actually, the whole series of books could be combined to create one entertaining novel. Owen is the narrator of the story, and he learned to use a magical lyre in the first book. It gets them out of many problems, but Loki seems to have a special interest in Dana. The reason is not clear in this book, but I assume it will be one more evident in the future.