This next installation of the Wayward Children series picks up immediately were the last one left off. Antsy, now a resident at the school for wayward children is trying to acclimate to life outside the store, which is made especially complicated due to the difference in her actual age and how old her body is.
I enjoyed that we learned more about the way the school runs and met some new students. I also like that this novella tied up Antsy's backstory, while also giving glimpses into other student's lives and often their worlds. I especially liked that we got more information on Kade especially, but I wish he would finally get his own book.
I also liked the message of this book and that it shows that trauma can feel someone like they have a right to act in ways that harm others, but that that is never an excuse. I also like that this book dealt with dealing with one's past and the things one left behind.
I do wish the dinosaurs had played a bigger role though. I found there world super interesting, but they only showed up quite late in the book and since they were on the cover, I just assumed they would play a bigger role. And while some conversations around trauma that were quite interesting were opened up here (such as growing up as a protection for abused kids so their abusers aren't interested in them anymore), I felt like that part of the book would have needed to be explored in more depth.
All in all however, I think this was another enjoyable installment of the series (albeit deiling with some darker topics, like "Lost in the Moment and Found") and I am excited to see what comes next.

TW: child abuse, child neglect, bad parenting, depression, grief, death and murder + mentions of past transphobia, cancer/chemotherapy, fatphobia, csa, including discussions of child pornography, colorism, loss of parents and loved ones.