Following on the heels of her bestselling first novel, The Glass Table, Leigh K Cunningham has penned an entertaining, insightful sequel for young readers. When Shards picks up the story, brainy Ming Zhi Chen has arrived home after escaping the witch's spell that transformed her and eleven others into spirits to live in the river Kai. Ming's flight to freedom came at a high price, and she is determined to do whatever she can to free the children she left behind. To break the spell and defeat the witch, she enlists the help of Sarah Gibson, a local journalist who shares Ming's incredible story with the townsfolk of Rumpole ... with unexpected results. Meanwhile, the child spirits continue their struggles against each other and developers who threaten the ecosystem of their river home. Continuing the environmental theme of protecting freshwater lakes and rivers, Shards is a captivating story that will leave young readers anxiously anticipating the next installment in this exciting series.