The Spaces In Between (Exit 13 #2)

Preller, James and Keele, Kevin (illus.). The Spaces In Between (Exit 13 #2)

Expected publication August 1, 2023 by Scholastic

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ash and Willow's family found themselves stuck in The Exit 13 motel in The Whispering Pines.  Their father is determined to escape, but drives off in the family car only to return immediately to the family, but in his world has just spents days driving around. The mother wants them to just enjoy being together. Other visitors, like Justice, managed to escape, and the family is able to go into town, but no further. Willow has been helping Kristoff, the dark and dramatic desk clerk whose mother has not been seen, with the housekeeping around the motel when a group of UFO enthusiasts checks in. Ash has tried to get information from Mr. Do, the enigmatic gardener, and has managed to find a book about liminal spaces. Ash still hears whispers calling him, and finds the woods especially creepy. Daisy, the family dog, is injured out in the woods, and the family does have to consult a vet. Willow is dealing with a creepy man who seems to be hiding something, and gets mysterious texts warning her about him from "AF". Kristoff goes missing. The UFO group is a lot of fun, and they even try to help the kids investigate the odd things going on, since they are more than willing to believe in supernatural phenomena, but no one is able to make any inroads into what is going on. Ash and Willow aren't checking out any time soon, but will they be able to leave in book three? (No title or publication date available at this time. 

Strengths: See? It's possible to have a scary adventure without killing the parents. I maintain that it actually heightens the tension to have them involved. For example, Willow is trying to occupy herself and be useful, but her parents don't want her to be near him because he's just a bit older. She and her brother, who get along fairly well and like each other, have to hide their activities from the parents, which is much more realistic. There's a big secret driving all of the mysteries, but we don't know what it is yet. We are just dealing with the ramifications of it. The UFO group was a good touch; helpful, believing, but ultimately, on their way back to the real world. (With a rescue dog and everything!)
Weaknesses: I loved the first book in the series, but this wasn't quite as good; not an uncommon occurrence in series. Mr. Do was an odd character. At one point, he quotes Eliot's The Wasteland, which will be lost on most middle grade readers. 
What I really think: I'm still looking forward to the next installation to see what is going on. I'd definitely order additional copies of these if I were hosting a Scholastic book fair, since they are just the right amount of creepy. The mix of text and a few comic style panels in each chapter are something I think will catch on.