Missing: Lessons from Fiori, Book 2

A delightful read full of vivid characters both human and mystical, Missing was a joy to read. Peggy M. McAloon does a wonderful job of using creative imagery in her world of Fiori. The Fiorins are a mystical group of fairy-like creatures who watch over human children until the children are eight years old. Mother Blue is the leader of the Fiorins and designates a few select human children to work as guides in their towns.

The second book in the Lessons from Fiori series, Missing is easy to follow even though I had not read the first book. Its main character, Elle, is an eleven-year-old girl who was chosen to be a guide to help the children on Earth if they are having a problem. In this day and age of bullying, I found this subject matter to be very much needed in a book that a tween or teen would find fun to read. Its underlying story teaches the reader that even someone who is a past bully, like the character Jimmy, can turn over a new leaf and be a nice guy who helps instead of hurts. Jimmy is quick to learn that it is so much more rewarding to help someone than to put them down.

The main part of the story is centered around Elle’s baby brother, JJ, being kidnapped. The Fiorins, Elle, and Jimmy work together secretively to help the police locate JJ. I especially loved the individual Fiorins who traveled with the children because they each had their own special power. Amadeus, Eunie Mae, Milo, and Wyatt work together to find JJ and bring him back home safely. One of the Fiorins was able to affect eyesight in a human and yet another was able to create a black cloud with lightning and rain to slow down the kidnapper.

Of course, there would not be a story if it wasn’t for the villains. The Zorins are evil creatures who inhabit humans for up to four hours at a time. They are seen as colored smoke and sometimes as a monster in the mirror. I found the symbolism of the Zorin to be what we see in the mirror when we are thinking negative thoughts about ourselves. Sometimes what we see isn’t real at all but rather something in our minds.

Another part of the book I really enjoyed was the dialogue between the children Elle and Jimmy. For eleven year olds, I found both of them to be really mature, yet they still wanted to do things that any eleven year old would want to and would sneak off to do them. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it especially to children who have a knack for bullying.