Author Matt Haig won UK’s prestigious Nestle Children’s Book Prize with the book Samuel Blink and the Forbidden Forest (titled Shadow Forest).  In this sequel, we find Troll-Son threatened to be sent to the Betterer–a troll feared by all troll children–and he runs away to Samuel Blink, his human friend-hero.  Troll-Son is part of a family of four trolls: Troll-Father, Troll-Mother, Troll-Daughter, and himself.  They all must share one eyeball.  It has become difficult for Troll-Father and Troll-Son to hunt rabbits and they’ve had to come home empty-handed.  Troll-Mother thinks it’s just laziness and she decides to send Troll-Son to the Betterer so that he can learn how to work harder.  The Betterer (a troll who once actually thought he was human and so he thinks he is ‘better’ than the ordinary trolls) is feared by all, but especially the troll children.  Rather than have to endure bettering, Troll-Son takes the family eye and heads to where Samuel Blink lives.  Here is where the background knowledge from the prior book would be helpful, but it’s not necessary in order to get what’s happening.  When he arrives, it’s a surprise to Samuel, who has to hurry to hide him.  His sister has made friends at school with the daughter of the village’s richest man and who is also the sworn enemy of his Uncle Henrik.  He would love nothing better than to find a troll at Samuel’s house so that he can get him in trouble, and has sent his daughter to do his spying for him.  Poor Samuel is trying to save his aunt and uncle (with whom he and his sister now live since their parents died) from this evil man, while in the meantime Troll-Father, who is eyeless, and the Betterer are on Troll-Son’s trail, intent to bring him back to the forest.  Samuel is torn between saving his aunt and uncle and saving the troll who sees him as a hero.  Readers with strong visualization will be able to see the setting and characters clearly.  Lots of action and the realization of just what makes a hero are strong.  Highly recommended.