Stargazer (The Land of Elyon Series #4) Book

When last we saw Alexa Daley, she had defeated a threat in her homeland and was sailing with Roland Warvold across the Lonely Sea.  She had no idea what adventures awaited her . . . until now.
 
After a tragic attack by an evil force, Alexa and her friend Yipes are stranded in a strange community known as The Five Stone Pillars.  Each pillar of rock has its own secrets . . . and its own challenges.  As darkness descends, Alexa must risk everything to defeat it - even if it means taking to the skies.
 
As he did in his bestselling Land of Elyon trilogy, Patrick Carman has created an exciting tale full of heart, humor, and heroism, starring one of the great characters in current fantasy literature.

NARRATED by Ellen Archer

VOYA

When last seen at the end of The Tenth City (Scholastic, 2006/VOYA October 2006), Alexa Daley defeated the evil Abadon and sailed with her uncle, Roland Warvold, to a strange place called the Five Stone Pillars. Unbeknownst to Alexa, her boon friend Yipes, and her uncle, Abadon has taken the form of a sea monster and follows their boat, looking for new lands to corrupt. As the boat arrives, Abadon strikes, killing Roland, but Alexa and Yipes—saved by the inhabitants of the stone pillars—find themselves in a place that is both strange and charming. When it becomes clear that Abadon is intent upon toppling one of the pillars in an attempt at conquest, Alexa and Yipes take it upon themselves to save both the people and the place. Carman writes a compelling story, marred only by a lack of characterization, but it is just a bit flat. Yipes, for example, remains a cardboard cutout, a bit reminiscent of Yosemite Sam and with all the nuance. Alexa has never been as fully fleshed out as she was in the first book of The Land of Elyon series, but all this will matter little to fans who have followed the previous four books. Whatever his deficits in characterization, Carman weaves a solid story with a strong sense of place and, invariably, a satisfying ending; this one ties all the loose ends together. It is a must-purchase for middle school libraries with either a following or a need for introductory fantasy. Reviewer: Ann Welton