Marco Polo Brave Explorer: Book Buddies #2    by Cynthia Lord & Stephanie Graegin Order:  USA  Can Candlewick, 2022 (2022) Hardcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Marco Polo Brave Explorer follows Ivy Lost and Found as the second in Cynthia Lord's Book Buddies series, aimed at ages six to nine and with lively black and white illustrations by Stephanie Graegin. The stars of this series are Book Buddies, toys that can be checked out of the library in the same way as books. This episode's lead is mouse Christmas ornament Marco Polo. Given his name, he's ready to be a true explorer but is rarely checked out of the library. Then Seth picks Marco Polo for a birthday party sleepover - a real adventure! Seth is anxious about the party and the sleepover. All goes well until Tulip the cat shows up after Seth falls asleep. She picks up our hero and drops him behind an old couch in the garage, where he meets some old toys. Marco Polo needs to be brave. He comes up with a plan, one that will not only rescue himself but the others as well. And he's content to return to the library when it's all over as 'Even brave explorers like to go home.' Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews