Sparkle Valley Book 2: Rise of the Troll

Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

Spoiler Warning: This guide summarizes the full plot of Sparkle Valley, including the ending.

Emily is about to enter middle school and Abigail realizes that their childhood together is about to enter a new phase.

Chapter 1: Precious Days

Summary

Some time has passed since Abigail returned from Sparkle Valley and Emily is getting ready for middle school. Abigail is treasuring every moment she spends with her big sister because she senses that things are changing. Emily has less time for her and is spending more time with her friends, Maya and Charlotte, and talking constantly about school. She’s increasingly focused on things like clothes and schedules and just growing up.

So when Grandma Doris pays a visit, Abigail is thrilled. Because Grandma Doris, as we know, has this mysterious connection to Sparkle Valley. Abigail hopes that this will help to bring a return to simpler days before Emily was so fixated on middle school.

Grandma Doris talks about a place in Sparkle Valley that Abigail has never heard of before, the Laboratory. She explains how it was built by twin marionettes who loved to do experiments. At the beginning, these experiments were harmless, but they eventually became dangerous and involved magic powders and potions. And, according to Doris, the twins released something terrible.

Grandma Doris seems unusually tired, but before taking a nap, she gives Emily a purple journal that contains her personal observations on everything that she herself witnessed in Sparkle Valley. And she makes Emily promise to read every word of it. Emily eagerly accepts the journal and says she will.

They go to the Magic Garden, and Emily and Abigail sit down beneath their favorite tree and Emily starts to read the journal. Suddenly the garden becomes vibrant and alive around them. At this point, Abigail wonders whether she has maybe misunderstood the relationship between Emily in the garden all along. Perhaps it wasn't Emily alone that created the magic, but actually the garden itself that helped awaken it.

And then Abigail catches sight of something that's impossible.

There, among the forget-me-nots and the trees is Gloria, the ragdoll Abigail left behind in Sparkle Valley in Book 1.

Chapter 2: "Three, Two, One—Jump!"

Summary

Gloria brings bad news from Sparkle Valley. The world has been taken over by the Smortzle. He's overthrown Ivana, controls the Inzos and has scattered the lost toys throughout the valley to work for him. He's using the Inzos to keep an eye on everything. Ivana is out of the picture, having been banished to Who Knows Where (a mysterious place).

Abigail is shocked since at the end of Book 1 everything seemed to be under control and back to normal in Sparkle Valley.

Then Gloria explains to Abigail that the Smortzle somehow got ahold of the magic cane. And sure enough, when Abigail rushes to look at the troll in the garden, the spot where Emily had returned the magic cane, she sees that the cane has indeed vanished.

Gloria insists that Abigail come back to Sparkle Valley to help them. The lost toys have tried to resist the Smortzle but they can't. Only Abigail, she says, can tame and ride an Inzo.

But Abigail hesitates. She knows that time with Emily is short. There are only a few days before middle school begins.

But then Gloria reminds her that time works differently in Sparkle Valley and that they could return before Emily even notices. And Abigail finally agrees.

Following instructions from Gloria, they circle the stone troll and chant a magical rhyme (which is wonderfully unsettling because it uses the Smortzle's own name). A glowing doorway opens in the forget-me-nots. Hand-in-hand, they leap through the portal and return to Sparkle Valley.

Chapter 3: The Pit

Summary

Abigail and Gloria arrive in Sparkle Valley at a place called Bluestone Quarry. There's a giant blue statue of the Smortzle complete with a fountain that flows out from its mouth. This is the first sign of just how big a change has taken place here since Abigail left.

Gloria leads Abigail to a rocky outcropping above a quarry. Below there’s a most disturbing scene. Their lost toys are being forced to mine the bluestone and build enormous statues of the Smortzle. They even see a familiar face of Emily’s old doll, Liza Bell, down there working, hammering away at the rocks.

And even worse, Emily's old wind-up gorilla is in charge, using his cymbals to enforce discipline on the workers.

But the biggest shock to Abigail is that the Bobblehead soldiers are acting as guards. Gloria explains what happened. They were coerced. The Brigade was stripped of their instruments by the Smortzle, and without the music to protect them from the Inzos they'd been forced into submission and had no choice but to obey the Smortzle.

Seeing what has happened to Sparkle Valley, Abigail feels moved to act. But how will she resist the Smortzle and how can she unite the toys again to overthrow him, just like they did with Ivana?

Before she can even start to formulate a plan, disaster hits. The rocky ledge beneath them breaks. Abigail slips and Gloria barely grabs her before she falls. The gorilla looks up and sounds the alarm. The soldiers rush up to seize them. The chase is on.

Chapter 4: The Marionette

Summary

Abigail and Gloria barely escape from the Bluestone Quarry and flee through the woods while being chased by the bobblehead soldiers and the gorilla. They end up in a mysterious place called the Lost Woods, an ominous place with such a fearful reputation that even the Smortzle's forces won't enter.

While they're hiding among the trees, Abigail notices Inzos flying overhead, which makes it clear that the Smortzle’s power extends well beyond the quarry.

As they move deeper into the woods, they discover a refuge hidden in a large tree called the Hide Away Café. Unlike the quarry, this is a friendly place filled with laughter and music. The toys are living here in relative freedom.

Here they reunite with Reggie, who is once again a frog because of the Smortzle. Reggie explains to them that he created this café as a secret meeting place for the toys who were resisting the Smortzle.

The entertainment starts and this eccentric marionette named Frank Needlenose appears on stage and does an impossible set of transformations, changing shape repeatedly. The audience loves him. At the end of the show, he introduces himself to Abigail and tells her he knows exactly who she is and that he's been waiting for her.

Questions:

Why won't the soldiers enter the lost Woods?

The Lost Woods seems to have a reputation that frightens even the followers of the Smortzle. We're not sure why at this point.

Who is Frank Needlenose?

He seems to be a performer, but it quickly becomes obvious that he's a lot more than that and he knows more about Sparkle Valley than he initially admits.

Why is the Hide Away Café important?

Because it represents an actual organized resistance against the Smortzle and his rule. It's one of the few places where the toys can still gather freely.

Chapter 5: Inzos!

Summary

The chapter starts off with Frank Needlenose telling Abigail that it was Major Bob of all people who sent him to find her. And according to Major Bob, the Inzos aren't being controlled by the Smortzle anymore. Somebody else may be in charge. A shocking development.

Ivana.

Abigail obviously remembers what Ivana did as the Queen of Mean and recalls her former connection with the Inzos and the Beast. And although Gloria and Reggie defend Ivana and say that she has nothing to do with the Inzos, Frank, the supposed messenger, insists that there's more to the story than anyone realizes.

This discussion at the Hide Away Café exposes tension within the group of friends. Are Gloria and Reggie withholding information from her?

Later that evening, Frank privately gives Abigail directions to a mysterious cottage that's hidden in the woods. He tells her that if she goes there she will discover the truth. He also tells her that she should find out for herself rather than listening to what the others are telling her.

But before she can do anything, a massive swarm of Inzos attacks the Hide Away cafe. They cannot physically enter the cafe, but their impact is felt. Abigail is forced to relive one of her most painful memories: Ivana's revelation that she is really just a doll and not Emily's sister after all.

The Inzo attack has everyone in the Café terrified, and Abigail is convinced that someone is hiding the truth. She's going to investigate Frank's lead on her own.

Questions you might have:

Why does the Inzo attack impact Abigail so much?

Remember, the Inzos attack emotional wounds. And Abigail's biggest emotional wound is that she isn't truly special to Emily and could one day be replaced.

This chapter introduces uncertainty. Up until now it's pretty straightforward in that it seemed like Smortzle was the villain. But now the question becomes, could Ivana somehow be involved? And what about the Beast? Also, does Major Bob know something everyone else doesn't?

Another important development in this chapter is that Abigail sets off on her own to investigate the mystery rather than relying on what other people tell her.

Chapter 6: Who Knows Where

Summary

Determined to find out the truth, Abigail sneaks away from the Hideaway Café into the darkness. She follows Frank’s directions through the woods (guided by fireflies and hooting owls) until she discovers the hidden cottage that's protected by a powerful magic forcefield.

And there's Ivana.

But Frank's story seems off. Ivana is clearly not ruling Sparkle Valley. In fact, she seems to be trapped here.

She has Abigail's old golden locket around her neck as she explains to her what happened after Book 1. The Smortzle got the magic cane and tried to take her inner spark, but the locket protected her. However, she was still forced to leave her castle and was banished to Who Knows Where (the name of the area she lives in). And since then she's been living alone in this little cottage, away from everything, but protected by a magical force field that was generated through the locket's power.

Then she reveals her struggle: She wants to be good, but the Beast is still calling to her. And when she hears that call she realizes that she might be dangerous again.

She tells Abigail that it's best she is alone and isolated because she can't be trusted completely. But Abigail rejects all this and tells Ivana that she believes the Smortzle’s rise to power had nothing to do with her. Ivana struggles to believe her. (Note: Recall that Emily put the cane back into the troll's hand in the Magic Garden.)

Then Ivana tells her about the Laboratory (something that Doris brought up in her journal). Ivana has secretly been investigating and she thinks that the Laboratory might contain answers not only about the Smortzle, but about the Beast itself.

But getting to the Laboratory isn't obvious as we will see. Ivana opens a secret door that leads to a cellar beneath the cottage and they descend into the darkness together.

Aside from redefining Ivana. this chapter introduces Book 2’s central question:

Can somebody who has fallen into darkness ever truly redeem herself again or fully trust herself again?

Chapter 7: A Thin Place

Summary

Abigail and Ivana pass through the hidden hallways underneath the cottage and enter the abandoned Laboratory. It’s much bigger and elaborate than they expected and there’s a magnificent hall that contains 12 separate rooms where the Needlenose twins would conduct their scientific and magical experiments.

While they're exploring, they hear noises in the darkness. Is there somebody following them?

They enter an ornate library filled with journals and notebooks. It's here that they encounter Boris Tortoise, the scholarly brother of Doris Tortoise.

Boris gives Abigail a magical journal that looks identical to the one Grandma Doris recently gave to Emily. He tells her that it contains the answers to all of Abigail's questions—and importantly, the questions to her answers.

And then he gives her an important warning: Don't let it fall into the wrong hands.

When Abigail opens the journal words begin moving across the page. She can read Grandma Doris's description of “thin places”—the locations where the boundary between the ordinary world and the magical world is thin.

As Abigail reads from the journal, it magically pulls her deeper and deeper into the story until the words themselves seem to consume her. Then the world goes black.

Questions:

What is a thin place?

It's a place where the boundary between worlds is thin, where the ordinary and magical worlds seem to overlap.

Why is the journal important?

Because unlike an ordinary journal, it seems like this journal can transport the reader into living memories. This allows them to not only read about the past, but actually experience it.

The important concept that's introduced in this chapter are thin places and how the distance between worlds is a lot smaller than we might think it is. The journal is beginning to reveal the hidden history of Sparkle Valley.

Chapter 8: All Are Welcome

Summary

Abigail is now inside a memory that was preserved in the journal. She finds herself outside the Sparkle Valley Laboratory as it was many years earlier. It's thriving. Toys are everywhere, playing games, having fun. It's a beautiful scene.

The Laboratory's large sign and motto says it all: ALL ARE WELCOME

As she walks around the grounds, she realizes that she's witnessing events from the past, and that the toys cannot actually see her. Everything that’s unfolding in front of her took place a long time ago.

Suddenly, there's a tremor. And the reaction of the toys makes one thing clear. They've never experienced something like this before. It just might be the first tremor in the history of Sparkle Valley.

A little later, Abigail can’t believe her eyes when she thinks she sees Emily of all people entering the Laboratory courtyard. But then she realizes that it's actually a young Grandma Doris. She is somehow here in Sparkle Valley!

This young Doris is welcomed by Frank Needlenose, who is full of enthusiasm. She also gets introduced to Frank's identical twin brother, Hank. Big contrast. Frank is all about possibility. He's chaotic and fun. Hank is cautious and very concerned about all the risks involved with everything.

Abigail follows them into their study where Frank gives Doris a glittering purple journal (it looks familiar) and tells her she should record all of her experiences. But Hank doesn't like this one bit. And when he hears about Doris's arrival through a thin place all he can think about is how dangerous it could be.

To show them how she came through the portal, Doris repeats the magical rhyme that she sang in the Magic Garden. As she does that, a glowing portal forms among the forget-me-nots and she jumps through it and returns home.

Frank is delighted. Hank is horrified. And that's how the chapter ends. Abigail sees the floating words in Doris's journal entry, which describe exactly how her magic spell opened the doorway between the worlds and allowed her to discover Sparkle Valley for the first time.

Chapter 9: There's Something Down There

Summary

Abigail continues to actually experience Grandma Doris's memories through the magic journal. Now she's in Wildflower Field and Frank Needlenose is excited about the thin places. He believes that now children will be able to travel freely between the two worlds whenever they want.

Then he shows Doris something very disturbing. There's a crack in the ground that's surrounded by dying forget-me-nots. He informs her that the crack first appeared when Doris crossed over into Sparkle Valley. And with each subsequent visit, the crack has gotten bigger.

Then they bend down and listen carefully and they can hear a hissing sound that's coming from deep down below.

Doris is frightened, and rightfully so. But Frank is excited about the possibilities. “What could it be?”

Continuing her immersion in the journal, a short time later, Abigail witnesses another memory at the same location. But now the crack has gotten much bigger and green mist is coming up from it. There's tension between Frank and Hank.

Frank believes connection itself is inherently good. and remains convinced that connecting the worlds is the answer. He talks about all the wonderful possibilities. But Hank insists that they have to be separate or something terrible could happen.

And then, as if on cue, suddenly reality starts breaking apart. The world literally flips upside down, and then it turns inside out.

Sparkle Valley and the human world start overlapping. Children, toys, adults, animals—imagination and reality all merge, and it's chaos. It's a world where no ordinary rules apply. Children become microscopically small, sparrows are enormous. Lemonade rains upward into the sky.

And now for the first time, even Frank realizes that the danger might be real..

Chapter 10: "Brother! Where Are You?"

Summary

Reality itself is collapsing on itself. Hank decides there's only one thing they can do, and he reveals a dangerous and untested magic powder. Even Frank is afraid of using it. But as the world continues to spiral into chaos the twins agree that there's no alternative.

Hank throws the powder into the air and it mixes with the forget-me-nots and creates a powerful vortex. The brothers decide that they must separate the worlds again before the Beast fully emerges.

Frank hesitates because he’s so afraid that if they close the portal, Doris will forget about Sparkle Valley and also forget about him. But Doris promises him that she never will and assures him with one of the most important lines in the trilogy:

“I think I can grow up and keep my imagination. And I’ll never forget Sparkle Valley or you.”

The vortex splits into two portals, one that's blue and one that's red.

They're not able to enter together so Frank enters the blue one and Hank, the red one. Their worlds separate and the catastrophe comes to an end. But Frank is gone.

But there in the grass is a blue sapphire. Doris finds it, and believing that it is connected to Frank, and that someday he will return to his true form, she places the gemstone into the handle of the stone troll’s cane in the Magic Garden for safekeeping.

In the meantime, Hank emerges in Sparkle Valley back at the Laboratory, desperately searching for his missing brother.

Chapter 11: No Trespassing

Summary

We're still in the journal. Still back in time. And now the Laboratory has changed completely.

What was once the bright, welcoming place for creativity is now a gloomy fortress. There used to be a cheerful sign that said “ALL ARE WELCOME.” But that’s been replaced by a new sign that says “No trespassing.” There are endless rules that cover the walls. Laughter, questions, imagination, and even curiosity have all been outlawed.

Abigail witnesses Hank shutting down the main Laboratory entrance with wooden planks.

When a stuffed elephant asks Hank why he's doing it, he launches into a bitter explanation. Imagination itself is dangerous, he believes.

And then the journal reveals the true tragedy.

Frank's disappearance didn't just make Hank lonely for his twin brother. It transformed him into someone obsessed with certainty and control. Controlling imagination is now ideological.

The journal closes up and Abigail returns back to the present. She's back in the library now and discovers a disturbing scene: Ivana is tied to a chair.

And then the truth to another mystery is revealed.

The marionette from the Hideaway Café, who she believed was Frank Needlenose, was actually his twin brother Hank in disguise. Hank had been manipulating the events all along because he believes controlling access to Sparkle Valley is the only way to prevent another catastrophe.

Chapter 12: The Powder of Life

Summary

After revealing himself as Hank Needlenose, he explains why he had to manipulate Abigail from the outset. It was because he wanted access to Ivana's cottage and knew that she would never let him in. But more importantly, he needed two things: Ivana's locket and Grandma Doris's magic journal. Because both are vital to his plan to permanently seal off the connection between Sparkle Valley and the human world.

He believes that the Beast entered Sparkle Valley because the boundary between the worlds was weakened by Doris repeatedly crossing through the thin places. According to Hank, it's not imagination itself that's the problem, it's the mingling of imagination and reality. Each belongs in its separate place.Therefore, to prevent another catastrophe, he wants to destroy the locket and the journal.

During this confrontation in the library, he exploits Abigail's relationship with Ivana and tries to bait her. He accuses her of being fake, never really trusting Ivana. He points out how quick she was to believe the accusation against Ivana (despite both Gloria and Reggie denying it strongly). This stings because Abigail knows there's some truth to it.

And then Hank puts on the table something even more tempting.

The Powder of Life.

He tells her that this magical one of one substance can turn her into a real human girl. She could be Emily's actual sister.

And for a brief moment, Abigail imagines what that would be like. She pictures herself growing up beside Emily, going to school with her, gossiping, share the future together—never being left behind. The temptation is so great. It's all she ever wanted.

But then she remembers Boris Tortoise’s warning—“Do not let it fall into the wrong hands”—and doesn't surrender the journal.

But then in an act of desperation, Hank just takes it from her, and tosses her the Powder of Life, declaring that "a deal's a deal."

He then sets the library on fire.

He takes off with the journal and the locket and heads toward the Smortzle’s castle while the library burns with Abigail and Ivana inside.

Chapter 13: The Tunnels

Summary

The Laboratory is burning all around them. Abigail and Ivana manage to escape through a series of hidden tunnels, but they are filling with smoke and beams are collapsing.

They get to a dead end—a locked door where there appears nowhere out. Abigail once again sees Boris Tortoise. He arrives in a flash of light and gives her one simple instruction:

Just believe.

Abigail acts on his advice and the door magically opens.

As they travel through the tunnels, Abigail and Ivana deal with the tension between them that Hank brought up, and Abigail apologizes for doubting Ivana. And then Ivana admits that she spent years blaming Abigail for Emily's choices, even though neither of them had control over that. They seem to forgive each other, but their awkward pauses tell a different story.

They do come to an important realization: Frank Needlenose became the sapphire that was embedded in the magic cane and his essence might still be there within that sapphire. This means that the cane might actually contain Frank himself.

Eventually, the tunnel leads to a trapdoor beneath the HideAway Cafe, where they are reunited with Gloria and Reggie, and Abigail explains everything that happened.

She explains how Hank intends to take both the journal and the locket to the Smortzle and if he succeeds, Sparkle Valley will be cut off, and Abigail may never be able to return home to Emily.

They decide they have to act immediately.

Chapter 14: "Infiltrators!"

Summary

The group arrives at the palace looking to stop the Smortzle before he destroys the journal and locket.

Thanks to the Smortzle and his massive ego, the palace has been turned from the Pink Palace into the Blue Palace. Every trace of Ivana’s kingdom has been erased—replaced with statues, neon signs, and giant portraits of the Smortzle.

Abigail, Ivana, Gloria, and Reggie are able to get into the palace through a secret passage that Ivana remembered. Their plan is to find the Bobblehead Brigade’s confiscated instruments and return them since they know that music can calm the Inzos.

While searching for the instruments in the palace, they overhear the Smortzle and Hank talking about their plan to throw both the journal and locket into the chasm. An act that would cut the connection between the Magic Garden and Sparkle Valley.

But as they continue looking for the instruments, they're discovered by an overly enthusiastic palace tour guide.

They pretend they’re tourists but the deception ends quickly. While on the tour, Abigail sneaks away and cracks the door to the room with instruments. An alarm sounds and soldiers flood into the hallway. They quickly capture everybody and bring them before the Smortzle.

Smortzle is being dramatic and showing off in front of Hank. First he shames Ivana by telling her she should know her place is in “Who Knows Where.” Then he tells Abigail that she is weak and insignificant and that he takes their power because he can. Simple as that. Unlike Ivana and Hank, he openly admits that his power depends on making others feel powerless.

Then he uses the magic cane and overpowers them and throws them into the dungeon as he prepares to ride an Inzo to the abyss, where, based on Hank’s advice, he will dispose of the journal and the locket to protect the Valley.

Sitting in the dungeon, things appear hopeless. But then, just before locking the dungeon door, Major Bob dismisses the other guards. He then winks.

Questions:

Why does the palace look so different?

Because it reflects his personality now. Just as it had reflected Ivana’s in Book 1.

Why is the instrument room important?

Because the instruments are the key to controlling or calming the Inzos. Whoever possesses them holds one of the few effective powers against them.

Is Major Bob on Abigail’s side?

The wink suggests that he is.

Chapter 15: Just Believe

Summary

Now they're locked in the dungeon beneath the palace and all hope seems lost. But then Abigail discovers that the dungeon door wasn't actually locked at all. Was it Boris Tortoise somehow or did Major Bob leave it open? Remember the wink. Regardless, they escape and race toward Wildflower Field, hoping that they can somehow stop the Smortzle from throwing the journal and the locket into the abyss.

When they arrive, they see that the Smortzle is indeed planning to follow through with Hank’s plan. He's trying to mount a giant Inzo in order to fly into the air and throw the locket and journal into the abyss. This will permanently close the connection between Sparkle Valley and the Magic Garden.

Seeing that she can't stop him directly, Abigail notices that some forget-me-nots in Wildflower Field are starting to bloom. An idea pops into her head.

She takes a giant lawnmower and destroys the Smortzle’s numerous fountains and floods the entire field with water. Wherever the water spreads, the blue flowers bloom once again.

Meanwhile, Major Bob runs up to them and returns the magic cane. He was with them all along.

It dawns on Abigail that these flowers here in this vast field represent something much larger than she had thought. Abigail realizes that these forget-me-nots, these little blue flowers, may carry the sparks of everyone ever connected to Sparkle Valley, including all the children who had grown into adults without losing their imagination.

She stands at the edge of the abyss and raises the cane and shouts:

Just believe!

Suddenly the sapphire starts glowing. and Abigail remembers something Doris had discovered long ago: the forget-me-not petals were not really petals at all. They were wings.

Thousands of the forget-me-not petals rise into the air like butterflies and transform into a huge swarm. Abigail uses their power and leaps into the sky. These butterflies carry her across the abyss. Seeing that the Smortzle is too far away to reach, she makes a desperate decision.

She takes the power of life and sprinkles it on the sapphire in the cane. The gemstone erupts with light. Frank Needlenose returns.

Chapter 16: Into the Abyss

Summary

Abigail is with Frank now, having been restored from the sapphire, and they are pursuing the Smortzle. Abigail is shocked that Frank hasn't changed at all and he still believes that merging the worlds is the best idea.

Of course, his brother believes the exact opposite.

Abigail realizes that both brothers are trapped in the same beliefs that led to the original catastrophe when Doris was there.

They chase the Smortzle and he throws both the locket and the journal into the abyss. Abigail tries to reach them, but she's too far away to do anything.

But then the butterflies intervene. The swarm catches both objects and lifts them back into the air.

In the meantime, the Smortzle loses control of his Inzo and tumbles into the abyss.

Abigail continues in the air, as the Inzos attack her mind again.

But this time they do something unexpected. It's not about her this time. These are Emily's anxieties that she experiences. She's anxious about middle school, about friendship, belonging. She's anxious about growing up. And now for the first time, Abigail truly understands what Emily is going through.

And this changes her perspective. She realizes that growing up isn't about betrayal and it's not about leaving things behind. Growing up is frightening.

She remembers Doris's promise to Frank: "I think I can grow up and keep my imagination."

Abigail begins to understand something important. The world should neither be separated, nor combined, they should remain connected.

As Abigail comes to that understanding, the abyss starts to heal. The crack closes and the forget-me-nots spread beautifully across the field. The Inzos dive back into the fissure like a cloud.

And there on the ground she sees a blue sapphire and a red ruby. The essences of Frank and Hank?

Abigail takes the red ruby and puts it inside the locket and puts the blue sapphire back into the magic cane. Sparkle Valley is healed.

This is the philosophical climax of book 2. Frank says merge the worlds. Hank says separate the worlds. But in this book Abigail is beginning to understand that imagination and growing up do not have to be enemies.

Chapter 17: The Box

Summary

Abigail's back in the Magic Garden now and sees Emily exactly where she left her, under the tree, reading from Grandma Doris's journal. It almost feels like nothing has changed, and yet...

Change is definitely coming.

Because over the next few days Abigail sees Emily preparing for middle school, and that means she's spending less and less time with her.

The childhood decorations in her room get taken down. Posters go up. Her crayons and coloring books and frilly paper are gone now— replaced with school supplies. Abigail watches quietly from the dresser as Emily transforms her room into something totally new.

Meanwhile, Abigail still has the Powder of Life (she only used a little to bring Frank to life). She's so tempted. She could still become a real girl. She could still become Emily's real sister forever.

As she sees Emily start to place her toys into cardboard boxes, the moment of truth arrives. Abigail decides she's ready to use the powder. She's about to do it, but then suddenly...

A glowing blue butterfly appears at the window and distracts her. She drops the pouch of powder and it falls behind the dresser.

The Powder of Life is gone. And so is her chance to become a real girl.

A moment later, Emily gently picks Abigail up, hugs her and places her into a box.

The moment that Abigail has feared for two books has finally happened.

She understands that Emily is changing. But she also hopes that she's not forgetting. As the box closes, she whispers “Bye for now.” And then there's darkness.

To sum it all up, if Book 1 teaches Abigail that she is loved, Book 2 teaches her that love can survive change. Which brings us naturally to Book 3 (link below) because now Abigail understands the important concept (understood by Grandma Doris) that growing up and forgetting are not the same thing.