The Fairy Tale Detectives (Sisters Grimm Series #1) by Michael Buckley, Peter Ferguson (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

In paperback for the first time, the Sisters Grimm take readers to a world where fairy tales are fact and not everyone is who they seem!

In book one of this bestselling series, sisters Sabrina and Daphne are sent to live with their mysterious grandmother, Relda Grimm. The sisters learn they are descendants of the Brothers Grimm, whose famous book of fairy tales is actually a collection of case files. The girls are the latest in a long line of fairy-tale detectives, and their new hometown is filled with Everafters (as magical folks like to be called)-some good and some very, very bad. When a mysterious Everafter sets a giant loose on the town, it's up to the Sisters Grimm to save the day.

Virginia Beesley - Alan Review

At almost twelve, Sabrina is a savvy survivor. From the day her parents disappeared, she and her younger sister Daphne have been shuffled from one horrible foster home to another. When the book opens, she and Daphne have been sent to Ferryport Landing to a woman who claims to be their grandmother. Unfortunately, Granny Relda is a genuine nut case. However, Sabrina's doubts are dispelled when she sees the giant for herself and meets a host of fairy tale creatures, from Prince Charming to the Big Bad Wolf. When Granny is captured by the giant, Sabrina and Daphne must discover who has let the giant loose and rescue their grandmother. Then Sabrina learns that the Everafters (as the fairytale creatures prefer to be called) can't leave Ferryport Landing until she and her sister are dead! In this modern-day fairytale, Buckley has succeeded in creating a sympathetic heroine with a realistic voice plopped down in a fantastic setting. Most lovers of fantasy fiction will enjoy this book. It may even delight girls who enjoy realistic fiction because of Sabrina's plucky personality. 2005, Amulet Books/Abrams,, 304 pp., Ages young adult.

Annette Wells - KLIATT

Move over Violet, Klaus, and Sunny! You'll be sharing the stage with seven-year-old Daphne and 12-year-old Sabrina, the Grimm sisters, descendents of the Brothers Grimm! Fans of Lemony Snicket will adore this new series. Imagine that the fairy tales we read as kids were actually true and were written down as historical accounts, and the Everafters, the name fairy tale creatures prefer, live alongside humans, using magic to hide their identities. Finally, imagine a destructive giant loose in the town. Welcome to Ferryport Landing, home of Relda Grimm, and grandmother to these girls. After their parents "disappear," they are forced to live in foster care and eventually come to live with their grandmother, who moonlights as a detective. She is also the keeper of Snow White's mirror, which helps her keep the peace between humans and Everafters. Prince Charming is the mayor of the town and appears at first to be responsible for the giant's destruction. The Three Little Pigs are the police force. It is not until the end that we learn that Jack, from "Jack and the Beanstalk," is actually looking for a publicity stunt to return him to his former glory. The twists and turns of the plot, the clever humor, and the behind-the-scenes glimpses of Everafters we think we know, will appeal to many readers. KLIATT Codes: J*—Exceptional book, recommended for junior high school students. 2005, Amulet Books, 304p., Ages 12 to 15.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Michael Buckley starts off with a bang in this energetic book (Abrams, 2005). Daphne and Sabrina Grimm have been tossed from one bad foster home to another after the disappearance of their parents. Now the grandmother they had been told was dead has sent for them. Naturally there's a measure of distrust, and it only increases when their new home of Ferryport Landing starts getting stranger and stranger. The girls soon learn they are from THE family Grimm, and their new home is full of "Everafters"-fairy-tale and other literary characters who are held in this town by the existence of the Grimms, and who are not necessarily happy with the situation. When Grandma is kidnapped by a giant, the girls must suspend their disbelief and go to her rescue, using whatever magical tools come to hand. But in a world of pixies, witches, and giant-killers, finding a trustworthy companion might be a problem. This is a wild ride with a corrupt Prince Charming, the Three Little Pigs in charge of the police department, and a wise-cracking Puck who may or may not be on their side. Facing problems together stretches the girls' ingenuity, and brings all the Grimms closer, while setting the stage for the next book in the series. L.J. Ganser reads the story with good pacing and a lot of verve, creating different voices and accents for the characters and bringing Buckley's story to vivid life. Listeners will enjoy the fast-paced action and grin at the humor, while delighting in the chance encounters with characters they should recognize from other stories. This definitely bodes well for the rest of the series.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Readers will definitely have to be up on their folktales, as well as children's lit classics in general, to catch all the references in this terrific, head-spinning series opener. Dumped roughly out of foster care into the arms of Relda, a twinkly-eyed woman claiming to be their grandma, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, 11 and seven, find themselves in Ferryport Landing, a seemingly normal New York town originally (and more accurately) dubbed Fairyport Landing. It's inhabited by the likes of Mayor Charming, three chubby cops named Boarman, Swineheart and Hamstead and vulpine Mr. Canis-all transported overseas for their own safety long ago by four-times-Great Grandpa Wilhelm Grimm. Borrowing a flying carpet and a certain pair of silver slippers from a fashion-conscious Magic Mirror, Sabrina and Daphne quickly find themselves springing the renowned Jack from jail to help deal with a destructive giant who has snatched Relda. All is, however, not as it seems. Rich in well-set-up surprises and imaginatively tweaked characters, this tongue-in-cheek frolic features both a pair of memorable young sleuths and a madcap plot with plenty of leads into future episodes. (Fantasy. 10-12)

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