It had a cute beginning. But could the self-contained story in Boneyard, in which young Michael Paris inherited a monster-infested cemetery surrounded by hostile townsfolk and their demonic mayor, continue to score once that initial arc was resolved?

Yup. The second book in the series, published in 2003 and reissued with color in 2006, is every bit as fun as the first.

The focus here is on the vast amount of back taxes Paris owes on his land. With no funds at hand, he and his monster pals look for innovative ways to raise money -- from a swimsuit issue (??) to a celebrity boxing match. Throughout, there's the continued flirtation between Paris and Abbey, an attractive vampiress, and a subplot revolves around pudgy demon Glump's inferiority complex in the face of an old friend's success.

And, let's ask ourselves: Is a banished lord of darkness ever truly gone? And is a repaired clunker ever really fixed?

Boneyard is both cute and fun. It is relatively nonviolent and utterly inoffensive. All in all, it's a great package.