Nightmares! #2: by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

Charlie discovers the citizens of neighboring Orville Falls are walking around town like zombies, because a potion they've taken stops them from dreaming. The consequences are felt in the Netherworld, as a huge hole is causing the dreamworld version of the town to disappear. Charlie and his little brother Jack learn a lighthouse in the Netherworld may be the problem, and it may hold a second portal between the worlds. Goblins are surrounding the lighthouse by the hundreds, and a little girl may be trapped inside. The problem worsens, as a store will be opening tomorrow, offering the potion to Charlie's hometown. Netherworld creatures are entering the human world, Charlie's family may lose its home, and the portal in the upstairs bedroom will fall into evil hands.

I'm not sure you need to read the first book in the series, but I highly recommend it. It will provide background knowledge that will help you understand the plot and characters in this book. The Netherworld is where our nightmares live, and we learn to face our fears. This book deals with real feelings and focuses on the conflict between hope and despair. The plot makes those feelings very important to the events in the story, but it includes many other subplots and character relationships. I like how the author addresses serious human emotions without preaching to readers. Book one dealt with the anger associated with the death of a mother and the resentment of a stepmother trying to take her place. It's an entertaining series with book three coming out in 2016.