An attack on the feral residents of Ankle Snap Alley prompts further heroism and cleverness from resourceful young raccoon Kit, first met in series opener The Wild Ones (2015).When a coyote grifter and his band of rough otters seize both hostages and the alley's winter seed stores, it looks like curtains for the ragtag community. But, inspired by stories he hears of the legendary, protective Moonlight Brigade, Kit resolves to strike back with an elaborate con. Pulling it off, though, is going to require not only further tricking Flealess (i.e., house pet) arch rival Titus into a ritual Dog's Duel, butperhaps more difficult for the proudly self-reliant raccooncoming to terms with the necessity of enlisting help. Characters and setting fleshed out in the 2015 opener are only sketched in here, as London crafts a plot in which events are treated as opportunities to explore themes of loyalty, friendship, understanding other (animal) cultures, and the power of collective action. So, once Kit comes truly to understand his new school's motto, "All of One Paw," the triumph to which he ultimately leads a motley array of allies ("I'm not a hero," he tells them, "but we can be") seems almost incidental to his personal progress.Although values clearly steer the plot of this sequel, they don't drive it into the ground. (Fantasy. 11-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

When smooth-talking Coyote and his otter gang attack Ankle Snap Alley and steal the citizens' winter food supply, young raccoon Kit and his friends form a new Moonlight Brigade to outwit the trickster and save their home. Kit continues to grow as an unlikely hero, while the series' likable characters and expanding society of urban creatures will enthrall lovers of animal adventures. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The follow-up to The Wild Ones (2015) sees life in Ankle Snap Alley returning to its own hardscrabble version of normal as Kit and Eeni begin school, and the community prepares for First Frost Festival. Calamity strikes when Coyote and his band of river otters attack the festival, stealing all the animals' winter stores. Kit, hero of the last book, feels responsible for single-handedly saving his community. He slowly realizes the importance of friends and the meaning of the school's motto, All of One Paw. The action flows quickly, with fewer moments of self-doubt than in book one, and fans of London's animal world are certain to enjoy this return visit.--Harold, Suzanne Copyright 2016 Booklist