The Alice in Wonderland vibes are particularly strong in this one, what with the Jolly Caucus Race — I mean, Derby to determine who gets to rule Fairyland — and its menagerie of competitors, all of them power-hungry and peculiarly mad in their own ways.

But, of course, it’s still a completely different creature: the Derby has lots and lots of Rules, just like Fairyland, and it takes us through even more settings than we’ve already explored. Ell, Saturday, and Blunderbuss in particular really get to come into their own on this journey, and it’s delightful. I think it was also a terrific idea to finally bring September’s parents and Aunt Margaret along for the ride, obviously a timely reminder that Grown-Ups have their own stories to tell and are still creating new ones, and that they’re still welcome in Fairyland, but also just sheer fun.

September and Saturday’s romance is still pretty lowkey, though much more present and influential (with regard to the plot) than it’s ever been — but that should come as no surprise; it’s been in the works since Book One, and growing steadily since. That really enhances the sweet moments between them, the fact that there are so few, so each one is a treasure to squee over. And that ending? To quote Charles Boyle: “I’m in love with [their] love.”

Speaking of the ending: it’s nowhere close to what I was expecting, and that’s a terrific thing. Even in such a comfortable, homey story, there are still surprises that accompany the familiar and beloved tropes waiting just around the corner.