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The Pathfinders Society #2
The Curse of the Crystal Cavern
The rollicking Pathfinders treasure hunt continues as the five campers from Mystery of the Moon Tower get swept away in a new search for clues that may lead to untold riches hidden away long ago. This action-packed graphic novel is full of fun, magic, and friendship--sure to appeal to fans of the Last Kids on Earth and Lumberjanes series.Fresh from their hair-raising adventures in The Mystery of the Moon Tower, Kyle, Vic, Beth, Harry, and Nate are now hot on the trail of something big! A secret staircase leads down into the unknown, setting them on an exciting chase for clues left by the wealthy explorer Henry Merriweather, who was rumored to have hidden away a priceless treasure. Are the legends real? Where will the five friends end up? And what dangers will they encounter along the way? Because as they've come to learn, everything comes at a price...In this exciting graphic novel adventure series, richly illustrated by Eisner-award-winning artist Steve Hamaker, the Pathfinders go ever deeper into the labyrinthian Merriweather mystery--and hope they'll come out the other side! "A legendary hidden treasure, a guy who collects stuff in a mysterious castle, and five cool kids trying to connect the dots and save the day. What's not to love here?" --Max Brallier, author of the Last Kids on Earth series
176 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 13, 2021
About the author
Francesco Sedita
33 books42 followersFrancesco Sedita was born on March 18 on Mott Street in the Little Italy section of New York, New York, to two native New Yorkers.
Sedita studied writing at the Gallatin School of New York University. "It's this incredible multi-disciplinary program that allowed me to study many aspects of writing, including screenwriting, fiction, and theatrical writing," he says. While at Gallatin, he was a Writing Fellow for Saturday Night Live. After graduating, he wrote and directed a show that ran Off-Off Broadway for 5 years. He is now the Creative Director at major children's book publisher. Miss Popularity is his first book.
Francesco has been writing since the second grade. "I wrote and illustrated a story about a dog named Blackie. My next-door neighbor read it, and when she told me how much she liked it, I realized right then that I wanted to be a writer. I love to tell people stories," he says. When he was in college, he focused on writing comedy, and even did stand-up for a time. In graduate school, he focused on writing literary fiction. "Miss Popularity seemed like a strange direction for me at first, but it was an editorial director at Scholastic who made me realize it was the book I was born to write!" says Francesco. "We were discussing the idea of a character who comes to a musty old school and totally transforms it with her personality and fashion sense, and we both had a really good laugh. And then a day or two later, I was walking down the street and the entire story came to me in a flash-I emailed my editor right away, and Cassie Knight was born!"
Francesco Sedita lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Sedita studied writing at the Gallatin School of New York University. "It's this incredible multi-disciplinary program that allowed me to study many aspects of writing, including screenwriting, fiction, and theatrical writing," he says. While at Gallatin, he was a Writing Fellow for Saturday Night Live. After graduating, he wrote and directed a show that ran Off-Off Broadway for 5 years. He is now the Creative Director at major children's book publisher. Miss Popularity is his first book.
Francesco has been writing since the second grade. "I wrote and illustrated a story about a dog named Blackie. My next-door neighbor read it, and when she told me how much she liked it, I realized right then that I wanted to be a writer. I love to tell people stories," he says. When he was in college, he focused on writing comedy, and even did stand-up for a time. In graduate school, he focused on writing literary fiction. "Miss Popularity seemed like a strange direction for me at first, but it was an editorial director at Scholastic who made me realize it was the book I was born to write!" says Francesco. "We were discussing the idea of a character who comes to a musty old school and totally transforms it with her personality and fashion sense, and we both had a really good laugh. And then a day or two later, I was walking down the street and the entire story came to me in a flash-I emailed my editor right away, and Cassie Knight was born!"
Francesco Sedita lives in Brooklyn, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 5, 2025
I find this second installment slightly more confusing and slightly less thrilling than its predecessor. The plot twists begin to feel less earthy and more fantastical. Nevertheless, the book serves its purpose to propel the story toward its conclusion in the next volume. I do like the introduction of... the construction company... which appeals to my affinity for... conspiracy. Yes! In the spirit of – "If it weren't for those meddling kids... we would have gotten away with it...."
August 6, 2021
Things are heating up in this next installment of the series!
I am so glad the authors explained what the curling vortex was. Both the characters and the readers are both seeing the same phenomenon. I am very curious on how all of this was built and/or how the natural landscape was used to create the challengers we are seeing. It reminds of the locations that we see in Castle in the Sky and Treasure Planet. Places that seem very fascinating, but have no idea how they came to be. Now this installment dropped in a concept that we have not heard yet. It reminds me how the crystal in Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the Woods in Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire were first introduce. They sound like vague, ambiguous, and powerful things we have no idea what they are yet. At the end of this volume, we do take a Arlo Finch in the Lake of the Moon turn.
Verdict: The third book cannot come fast enough for me!
I am so glad the authors explained what the curling vortex was. Both the characters and the readers are both seeing the same phenomenon. I am very curious on how all of this was built and/or how the natural landscape was used to create the challengers we are seeing. It reminds of the locations that we see in Castle in the Sky and Treasure Planet. Places that seem very fascinating, but have no idea how they came to be. Now this installment dropped in a concept that we have not heard yet. It reminds me how the crystal in Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the Woods in Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire were first introduce. They sound like vague, ambiguous, and powerful things we have no idea what they are yet. At the end of this volume, we do take a Arlo Finch in the Lake of the Moon turn.
Verdict: The third book cannot come fast enough for me!
August 7, 2025
It took me just about two years to get around to reading the sequel to The Mystery of Moon Tower. Once again, while I enjoyed the journey through the cavern and watching the characters figure out their path, I am frustrated that I’m being told the answers to the puzzles rather than being given information to try to parse them out for myself. This would be an easy five-star series if it was more like Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library where the readers can participate in the ciphering and solutions.
I am interested enough in the outcome that I requested the third volume via interlibrary-loan.
I am interested enough in the outcome that I requested the third volume via interlibrary-loan.
July 15, 2023
The quest continues for Kyle, Beth, Harry, Victoria (VIC), and Nate. This second book in the series follows The Path Finders as they venture underground in search of the legendary hidden treasure. The clues given takes them into adventure and thrills as they seek answers to the mystery of the curse of the Crystal Cavern.
August 6, 2021
I'm all about fictional plausibility but this series makes less and less sense by the page. And my inner camp counselor does not need the extra anxiety. I like the art style and the characters but I'm not sure I will be continuing the series.
March 10, 2022
This gives me such "Time Warp Trio" Vibes
Please Write faster, lol. I finished this in like 40 minutes.
Also aesthetically pages 126 &127 made me think of a cool platformer or side scroller. I adored it.
Please Write faster, lol. I finished this in like 40 minutes.
Also aesthetically pages 126 &127 made me think of a cool platformer or side scroller. I adored it.
Want to Read
March 26, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
July 12, 2021
A fun mystery/adventure graphic novel. You need to read the first book in the series to understand what is happening.
July 25, 2021
Too confusing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 14, 2021
I like the artwork and the kids are not bad, but I don’t feel like you can solve the mysteries. Something just happens, then the kids magically know the answer.
October 12, 2021
Better than the first book, can't wait for book 3.
October 15, 2021
The kids loved it!
October 21, 2021
Very fun! Looking forward to the next book.
March 1, 2022
I wanna know how it ends! Reads quickly and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
November 21, 2022
Mid to high 3?
May 2, 2023
Yay time streams! OK, when's the next one out!?
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
January 20, 2024
I got through it and didn't hate it, but this is definitely not the best-conceived or solidly written kids' graphic novel series i've come across.
October 6, 2025
Great book, I wanted to finish this book because I have the next one right beside me 🤣 it’s a amazing series the storyline is very cool 😎
May 18, 2024
Good book.
November 9, 2022
"𝑻𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒃𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔, 𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇."
I’m always on the lookout for new graphic novels for middle grades readers; add a mystery on top of it, and I was sold on checking out this series!
Since the characters have been established, The Curse of the Crystal Cavern does flow better than the first book did. The illustrations are beautiful and there are a lot of fun riddles and mysteries, although I would’ve loved a bit more conflict (it seems like there it a little something missing). The group of new friends learn to lean on each other, while discovering who they are and what they each are capable of, both individually and together.
The Curse of the Crystal Cavern is a story of adventure, curiosity, friendship and mystery. It is a great continuation of a series that I think middle schoolers would greatly enjoy! I am looking forward to reading the final adventure of The Pathfinders Society!
I’m always on the lookout for new graphic novels for middle grades readers; add a mystery on top of it, and I was sold on checking out this series!
Since the characters have been established, The Curse of the Crystal Cavern does flow better than the first book did. The illustrations are beautiful and there are a lot of fun riddles and mysteries, although I would’ve loved a bit more conflict (it seems like there it a little something missing). The group of new friends learn to lean on each other, while discovering who they are and what they each are capable of, both individually and together.
The Curse of the Crystal Cavern is a story of adventure, curiosity, friendship and mystery. It is a great continuation of a series that I think middle schoolers would greatly enjoy! I am looking forward to reading the final adventure of The Pathfinders Society!
July 19, 2021
I didn't read the first in the series but I might want to go back to it and put it on my radar. While there are several pieces that would strengthen the story, the graphic novel adventure series has a lot of fun with the characters and piecing together clues of a puzzle to solve the mystery while there is an overarching storyline of being a "pathfinder".
Each character contributes something as a band of kids from this camp which encourages friendship and teamwork which makes it easy to recommend for middle grade and above. My one concern is that there's always a hole or two in the story/mystery that I feel like when I'm reading I'm missing something-- not as part of the "mystery" to figure it out but that there are elements that could enhance the reading of the story to make it read better as whole.
Still the artwork, transitions, and dialogue work well together.
Each character contributes something as a band of kids from this camp which encourages friendship and teamwork which makes it easy to recommend for middle grade and above. My one concern is that there's always a hole or two in the story/mystery that I feel like when I'm reading I'm missing something-- not as part of the "mystery" to figure it out but that there are elements that could enhance the reading of the story to make it read better as whole.
Still the artwork, transitions, and dialogue work well together.
September 4, 2021
I've been eagerly anticipating this one since I read the first book and am so glad I grabbed it! I'm not going to go too much into the story as it picks up right after book one finishes, but we are following the same group of pathfinders as they are continuing to decipher the riddles left behind as well as deal with occasional time jumps, dangers from outsiders and more. I really liked how they came together even more in this one and leaned on each other for their unique strengths. This is a great middle grade adventure story and I can't wait for the third one to come out.
November 6, 2022
Another amazing adventure with the Pathfinders Society! This graphic novel certainly has all the vibes of Stranger Things meets Indiana Jones and the way this diverse group of kids work together to solve the mystery is so much fun, proving that teamwork is key and that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses but when they are combined anything is possible. I can't wait to discover more mystery and adventures with this wonder group of kids.
July 11, 2022
This sequel didn’t live up to the original. The first had great world-building and had a lot of suspense-building. The sequel was like being in Adam West’s Batman tv show. Every frame was “Bam!” And “Pow!” Maybe the third book can get back to the magic of the first?
June 17, 2023
Why did I read the sequel if I didn’t enjoy the first one? Here’s my confession. I accidentally bought this second one first without realizing it was part of a series. This was just as boring and confusing as the first one. Absolutely nothing memorable. I added a star again for the artwork.
October 2, 2022
And the adventure continues. The book continues where there 1st book ends. A group of campers on a quest to find treasures and uncover a mystery of the Merriweather Brothers. It still leaves a lot of questions but looking forward to next installment for answers
October 13, 2021
Kind of dumb, DNF at 40%
December 6, 2021
Fortunately or unfortunately, I entered into this series at the second volume. It's good. It's cute. It's adventurous but I won't be reading more. If I was a kid I would lap it up!
February 11, 2022
Work together.
Read
June 3, 2022This one was even better than the first! I can't wait for the 3rd one on August 23rd! Lots of adventure in these books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews