The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer, Brandon Dorman

Notes From Your Bookseller A classic portal fantasy a la Alice in Wonderland, Alex and Connor are thrilled to find themselves in a world populated by all the characters they've read about. Thrilled at first, anyway. But when the wolves come snapping, it's time to get home... if they can. It's charming, clever, and reminds readers of the power and magic of stories. The first book in Chris Colfer's #1 New York Times bestselling series The Land of Stories about two siblings who fall into a fairy-tale world! Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales. The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with fairy tale characters they grew up reading about. But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought. Editorial Reviews It's hard not to love a book dedicated to the Glee star's grandmother, who gave him this early advice: Christopher, I think you should wait until you're done with elementary school before worrying about being a failed writer. In this entertaining if a bit overlong first novel, 12-year-old twins Alex (a girl) and Conner fall into their grandmother's cherished book of stories and arrive in fairy tale land. The only way to get home is a convoluted scavenger hunt that requires them to collect eight tokens from various fairy tales--Cinderella's glass slipper, a lock of Rapunzel's hair, etc. The ending is never in doubt, but it's a difficult journey as the twins meet the Big Bad Wolf Pack, are enslaved by trolls, and kidnapped by Snow White's evil stepmother. Colfer gets off many good lines--Conner's dialogue especially sounds like quips Kurt Hummel might make, as when the twins swim across an icy moat: Wooo! It's so cold, I think we may be twin sisters now. The nifty ending ties the plot's multiple strands up while leaving room for further fairy tale adventures. Ages 8-up. Agent: Rob Weisbach, Rob Weisbach Creative Management. (July) - Publishers Weekly #1 New York Times Bestseller There's more in Colfer's magic kingdoms than Disney has dreamt of.-USA Today It will hit big with its combination of earnestness and playful poise.-The New York Times Book Review In The Land of Stories, Colfer showcases his talent for crafting fancifully imaginative plots and multidimensional characters.-Los Angeles Times Captivating.-Teen Vogue A magical debut.-Family Circle It's hard not to love a book dedicated to the Glee star's grandmother...Colfer gets off many good lines [and] the nifty ending ties the plot's multiple strands up while leaving room for further fairy tale adventures.-Publishers Weekly - From the Publisher Gr 4-6--When Alex and Conner's father unexpectedly dies, the twins lose the person who always had the perfect story to cheer them up. Then, on their 12th birthday, their grandmother gives them the book of fairy tales he used to read to them. Suddenly it seems to come to life, and the youngsters find themselves falling into the Land of Stories, seemingly with no way to get out. Desperate, they follow instructions in a mysterious journal: if they gather eight items from various residents in the kingdoms of the Land of Stories, they can complete the Wishing Spell and have one wish granted. After scaling castle walls, diving deep into the home of mermaids, and meeting characters from all of the beloved fairy tales, they are stymied by the Evil Queen, who has escaped from Snow White's dungeon. With the hope of using the spell gone, the twins appear to have no way home until they meet Fairy Godmother, their own grandmother. In a way, they find comfort from their grief over their father's death when they realize that they have been following his journal and that he grew up in this land. The writing quality in this adventure is inconsistent and detracts from the fast-paced story. The deep sadness of the twins comes through, but they are somewhat one-dimensional, since Alex is so much the nerd and Conner, the class clown. The plotline, however, pulls readers in and is entertaining, and Colfer's passion for fairy tales shines through. Turn to Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark & Grimm (Dutton, 2010) for higher-quality writing in a recent fractured fairy-tale novel.--Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA - School Library Journal Celebpub collides with fairy-tale redux in this unsuccessful debut. Alex is enraptured with fairy tales and soaks up her teacher's lessons on their universal truths. Twin brother Conner, on the other hand, falls asleep in class. On their 12th birthday their grandmother gifts them her treasured Land of Stories, a book their late father often shared with them. Predictably, they fall into the book and encounter all the fairy-tale characters, albeit some years after their happily-ever-afters. Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Rapunzel are now queens, while Jack (of beanstalk fame), Goldilocks and Red Riding Hood are embroiled in a fierce love triangle. Alex and Conner must collect eight fairy-tale items in order to return to their world, all while being pursued by a snarling wolf pack in the employ of the Evil Queen, whose life Snow White has spared. Unfortunately, Colfer's prose, though sincere, drowns in bizarre imagery and trite phraseology. A Curvy Tree is saved from loggers because of its uniqueness. Alex wants to be in this fairy-tale world because it is where good things [come] to good people. Conner, upon learning that he is part fairy (grandmother = fairy godmother), sarcastically opines that [t]he guys at school can never hear about this. Cardboard characters and awkwardly episodic situations result in a poorly manufactured tale. (Fantasy. 8-12) - Kirkus Reviews It will hit big with its combination of earnestness and playful poise. - The New York Times After twins Alex and Conner are sucked into the fairy-tale world, they embark on a quest to get back home. Some weaknesses in Chris Colfer's writing, such as an overreliance on clichs, are overshadowed by his spirited reading. The twins encounter characters from various tales, and Colfer proves convincing as heroines like Snow White and villains like the Big Bad Wolf. Colfer also shines when he breaks into song and when he delivers Conner's dialogue, which is often laugh-out-loud funny. Listeners will get sucked into Alex and Conner's adventures as they solve riddles, learn more about the stories behind their favorite stories, and make discoveries about themselves and each other. A.F. AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine - JULY 2012 - AudioFile