In Vögelein: Clockwork Faerie, Irwin introduced the title character, a winged doll who was crafted by a watchmaker in late 17th-century Germany and somehow came to life. Since her creator's death, she has lived with a series of guardians, but as this wonderful second volume begins, she is enjoying a newfound semi-independence in urban America, with her street-cleaner friend, Ezrael, pointing her to people she can trust to wind her each day so that she doesn't run down. Opening with a remarkable and unconventional flying sequence, this volume deals with Vögelein's long-buried guilt and remorse surrounding the death of her first guardian, Alexi, a Romani (or Gypsy) trader, to whom she made a promise she couldn't keep. She confides her turmoil to one of her new friends-a kind, itinerant musician named Mason who reminds her of Alexi-and together they search for a proper way to honor Alexi's memory. Meanwhile, one of Mason's neighbors, an artist, has discovered Vögelein's existence and plots to trap her. Irwin's black-and-white painted artwork has a naturalistic feel and some beautiful designs, and her handling of emotions is nuanced and affecting. Recommended for all collections, for teens and adults.
—S.R.
