The Unready Queen

Human-raised brothers Tinn and Cole join forces with Fable, daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, to stop the fighting between the people of Endsborough and the creatures of the Wild Wood before violence turns into all-out war.  



Human and goblin brothers Cole and Tinn are finding their way back to normal after their journey to the heart of the Oddmire. Normal, unfortunately, wants nothing to do with them. Fable, the daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, has her first true friends in the brothers. The Queen allows Fable to visit Tinn and Cole as long as she promises to stay quiet and out of sight-concealing herself and her magic from the townspeople of Endsborough.



But when the trio discovers that humans are destroying the Wild Wood and the lives of its creatures for their own dark purposes, Fable cannot stay quiet. As the unspoken truce between the people of Endsborough and the inhabitants of the Wild Wood crumbles, violence escalates, threatening war and bringing Fable's mother closer to the fulfillment of a deadly prophecy that could leave Fable a most Unready Queen.



In this second book in the Oddmire series, the New York Times bestselling author of Jackaby takes readers on an adventure full of monsters, mayhem, and magic. Fable-the bold, outspoken, and adventurous half-human daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark-takes center stage as she and her friends Tinn and Cole fight to prevent a war that threatens lives as well as peace, as the unspoken truce between humans and the creatures of the Wild Wood begins to crumble in this second book in the Oddmire series.
William Ritter is an Oregon educator and the New York Times bestselling author of the Jackaby series, which received glowing trade and national reviews and was named to many state lists. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark. Visit him online at rwillritter.wordpress.com and find him on Twitter: @Willothewords. "The Oddmire series' memorable, inspiring characters are full of heart and, combined with the enchanting magic surrounding them, form the strong core of a burgeoning fantasy classic."

-Booklist, starred review



"In another brilliantly written visit to Oddmire, Ritter returns to an already magical place filled with danger and intrigue, and adds a new chapter to an outstanding series. VERDICT Those who loved book one will adore book two. A wonderful addition to the series and to young fantasy collections."

-School Library Journal, starred review



"Ritter deftly executes the all-too-timely theme of racist demagoguery-and profiting from it-in a way that is realistic yet hopeful. He also leavens it with humor: Fable, particularly, is a reliable source of silliness and fart jokes . . . Captivating adventure, magical friendship, and just the right amount of goofiness."

--Kirkus Reviews