Hilda and the stone forest

*Starred Review* Hilda's been on four adventures, and by now, she's a bit of an old pro she spends her afternoons wandering around Trolberg, inevitably runs into some magical creature who needs her help or invites her on an irresistible adventure, and comes home in time for dinner (OK, maybe a little late for dinner) and bedtime, and in the morning, she does it all again. Her mother, however, is getting fed up with Hilda blowing her off a spectacular spread of close-set, rapid-fire panels shows dozens of adventures intercut with flashes of her mother growing increasingly angry. When her mother tries to stop her from slipping through a portal, they accidentally end up in the stone forest inside a mountain, where they're pursued by angry trolls. Her mom's getting a firsthand glimpse of Hilda's secret life, but with an adult around, it's hard to ignore how dangerous and scary this particular adventure is. Pearson has perfected Hilda's Scandinavian-style fantasy world, and his artwork is as captivating as ever, but the change in focus from Hilda's derring-do to the realistic consequences of her escapades keeps it from being just another series installment. Hilda is widely acclaimed for a reason, and Pearson isn't resting on his laurels.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist