Just wonderful books.

We loved the Hattie brown series. My son was hooked. He loved it

We couldn't put it down. A wonderful must read for all youngsters.

Woo hoo! We are back with Hattie Brown and some new adventures in Somewhere-Nowhere land. I was so excited to read this second book in the series of Hattie Brown books and it did not disappoint. Spoilers ahead, so proceed with caution!!!

Last we left Hattie Brown, both she and Arthur had freed the Hundredth Children, released the clouds that were locked away and all the saved children along with Hattie and Arthur were returned to the human realm to get back to their families. Unfortunately, things at home have not quite been the same for Hattie and Arthur since returning. Hattie’s mother still suffers from The Gloom and Hattie is still helping her mother get on with daily activities. They have also noticed that in both the areas where Hattie and Arthur live that the weather is constantly windy and cloudless. All the clouds are missing!
Hattie goes to grab her mother’s lunch and happens to see a tiny Victor the elephant sitting in her fridge. During this time back, she has also been communicating with Arthur to keep in touch as they have this common bond. When Hattie returns to the fridge to greet her elephant friend she is once again pulled into the fridge and headed back to Somewhere-Nowhere land. What she is unaware of is that Victor was also in Arthur’s fridge and pulled him into his fridge to take him to Somewhere-Nowhere as well. They learn this when they both arrive back in the fantastical land. The “Victor” they each saw was not actually the real Victor, but rather elephant guards who kidnapped both Hattie and Arthur to bring them to Lord Mortimer for what they did the last time they were in Somewhere-Nowhere. Victor is imprisoned and there are plans for him to be served up as a feast for the great Lord of Somewhere-Nowhere land. Hattie and Arthur trick the two fake Victors into fighting and can get away.
Hattie, upon learning news of her friend from Sir Gideon of the Guild of Knight Dragons, immediately plans on freeing Victor, against Sir Gideon’s wishes. He tells her that she has caused enough trouble for the land due to freeing the Hundredth Children, but especially freeing the clouds in the land. Clouds you see, are very stubborn and want to do their own thing, so they are not easy to control, and it was better having them locked up so that they could be better controlled. This news is distressing to Hattie as she feels so responsible for what happens in this land, even though it is not her home. She is drawn to it and has a connection that makes her feel responsible for saving its inhabitants and people from all the bad things going on.
Sir Gideon takes Arthur and Hattie immediately to the Time Worm so they can be sent back home and safe from Lord Mortimer, but Hattie’s stubbornness and determination wins out along with Arthur who stands by her decision to save Victor and off they go on another adventure to save someone again.
On their adventure to save Victor, the two children come across new places and friends, as well as old friends who help to save Victor from his fate. They discover a hidden room in the Anywhere Office while hiding from Guards of the Realm that holds a book, which they are told from the Knowledge Worm is the Book of the Realm which when reunited with the lost seal will allow Lord Mortimer to change the book to name him as the ultimate ruler of Somewhere-Nowhere land, allowing him ultimate rule over everything and no way for the book to name a new ruler. Upon learning the children have found this room and Hattie was able to touch the book and experience something, the Knowledge Worm allows them permits into the city to save their friend and search for the map to the underground tunnels that will lead them to save Victor.
Hattie also has a plan to make it rain in the land again, which she shares with Sir Gideon who tells the Guild of Knight Dragons. They vote and plan to propose it to Lord Mortimer for approval. When the dragons go to make their proposal, Hattie hears the proposal, but notices and is angry that that Sir Willow-Wood, leader of the Guild of Knight Dragons goes back on his promise to ask for Victor’s release and she is even more determined to help her friend. With the help of The Bench, her old friend, and a new friend, a pangolin named Tito, she and Arthur can escape with the map and the way to the underground tunnels.
The underground tunnels are an adventure all their own and quite fun to read. There were moments I was worried for the kids and whether they would make it through their quest safely, but they do make it through the tunnels and find the prison where Victor is kept along with lots of other Victor look-a-likes in order to throw off anyone who may try and rescue Victor. All it takes though is Hattie playing a trick on the imposter Victors to find who the real one is, and they can get him out of the prison cell he is in. While rescuing Victor they meet another prisoner, who is Lord Jasper and a deep secret is revealed that will change Hattie and Arthur’s lives forever.
With their newfound revelation about themselves, Hattie and Arthur are able to escape the dungeons where Victor was kept and eventually discover another secret they share between the two of them. Just as this discovery is made, Lord Mortimer shows up to ruin it all for them. Not all is lost however, and a fight ensues resulting in the kids coming up with a plan along with Sir Gideon and Lady Violet’s help they are able to escape the clutches of Lord Mortimer. In helping Hattie and Arthur though, Lady Violet and Sir Gideon lose something of their own which causes them an extreme hurt and loss that will be difficult to get through from this time forward.
With the help of Victor, the dragons and the Time Worm, Marcia, the kids are able to go back home to Worcester, where Hattie lives with her mum. After their time in Somewhere-Nowhere, both Hattie and Arthur are left with a lot to grapple with internally that will continue into the next chapter of their lives. Hattie is unsure of how she is supposed to feel about the news she now knows about herself and her family, as is Arthur with himself. I imagine we will see more of this discussed in the third book.
Once again, Claire Harcup did a phenomenal job with this second installment in the Hattie Brown Trilogy. I was NOT disappointed at all. Hattie Brown verses the Elephant Captors kept me turning the pages and never wanting to put the book down. The author has such a wonderful and descriptive writing style that I adore. A female heroine who struggles with her choices and decisions, who feels guilt when a decision was wrong like many of us would feel, someone who is brave with strength that many adults themselves do not even possess. Hattie once again shows us that determination, love of others and friendship can win against evil, even if only for a short time. I imagine that one day soon we will see Hattie fully succeed in all she does and show even herself that she is worthy of all she can be. But that is for us to see in the last book!
This book was released October 1, 2020. I give it five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.