Table Titans Club: Sneak Attack by Scott Kurtz

with beautiful colors by Steve Hamaker.

I’m ngl, I want to incorporate that Magic Mistletoe spell into my next character sheet, somehow, some way, lol.

I super loved the first Table Titans Club graphic novel but also have a terrible memory, so will freely admit that I spent a good portion of this novel feeling badly that I had no idea what the conflict was that had Kate and Alan so mad at each other as the book opens. I thought it was something I forgot from the last book, but turns out that it’s actually something that’s explained as this story progresses, phew!

Anyway, the Table Titans Club are all going to a role-playing summer camp. Val is, ofc, super excited but Kate is annoyed because she and Alan are, apparently, feuding to the point where she doesn’t even want to go to camp any more. Andrew and Darius more than make up for anyone’s lack of enthusiasm, as they and Val hope that the fun experience of summer camp will help everyone get over being mad at each other.

As the kids make new friends (and nemeses,) they share the joy of both tabletop and live-action role-playing with fellow campers. This doesn’t seem to thaw the ice between Kate and Alan, however. When Val unexpectedly sights a monster in the woods, will the experience rebond the entire group, or will it just expose how insurmountable the cracks are that have grown between them?

It’s no spoiler to say that this book champions the power of friendship and teamwork, using RPGs and fantasy-themed outdoor events as its framework. Honestly, I had such a lovely time thinking of not only my own RPG experiences but also my summer camp-themed game Camp Elementa. One day, I’m going to get around to writing that book about the playtest, even if some of those memories still hurt.

My favorite thing about this book tho, was the absolutely nerdiness of the kids, and Darius in particular as he and Andrew hassled his poor dad with huzzahs. I also keep forgetting that this middle grade series is a spin-off of an adult series that I’ve been meaning to read for a while (and may have been partially sucked into while writing this review, lol.) That said, I’m glad Scott Kurtz chose to write this middle grade version in order to make the magic of role-playing more accessible to all ages.

The art is terrific, as always, with excellent layouts and perfectly formulated scenes. This is very much a book for anyone who loves or is interested in RPGs, no matter what age you are.

Table Titans Club: Sneak Attack by Scott Kurtz was published March 10 2026 by Holiday House and is available from all good booksellers, including