Beneath the Sugar Sky is the third book in the series, however I had heard that it could be read as a stand alone. So, I decided to read this book before reading the first two. I am uncertain how much would be added by reading the books in order. Although, I did not feel lost at any point in the series. The setting and situation was perfectly described. If anything, I think I may have just not read about previous adventures. I plan to go back to the first two books to find out.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a play on all the adolescent fantasy novels where children escape our work into their own fantasy world. What happens to the children when they come back? This is a story about children trying to re-find their world. The worlds are whimsical and different. I almost found myself believing. I was reminded of my own desire in adolescence, to find my own magical world.

What I did not enjoy was the constant references to being fat. It was not shamming, and was more a traumatic reaction to being shamming. Yet, it seemed overdone. It seems like the defining of a child before finding her world, not after. The positives were displayed. She was a strong swimmer, a fast runner, and healthy. Yet, she kept going back to her weight as her defining feature. Why would it not be her time as a mermaid? How could that not define her after finding her own world? Beyond being overdone, it just did not fit for me.