I got this book a couple days a go. It was absolutely the best. It was well written and the pictures were well detalied. I love to read books and out of all the books i read this was the best. I hope he does another book realeted to it and make a seris. It Would be absolutely great!!!!! I would recommend this book for anyone who loves the real version of fairy tales with the lesson or for people that wish they could go inside of 1 of their favourite books. Once you get this you would keep on reading to find out what happens next. It WILL keep you guessing till the end! It WILL also surprise more than once,

The Good Stuff •I was extremely surprised by how well written it is, won't lie wasn't expecting much, but it really is well done. This youg man is a talented storyteller - no fair though - I mean seriously - the guy can sing, act and write - ah well congrats Mr Colfer very well done •Lovely creative twist on the various fairy tale stories •Some very wise observations on life •Delightfully funny •Fast moving and exciting •Just so much fun to read, think this will be wonderful for the young bookworm out there -- I would have adored this as a kid •Will be definitely recommending this one. Have already passed on my second copy to the little girl 3 doors down •The siblings are very likeable and act like siblings would - some of the dialogue between the two is just plain delightful •The illustrations in the arc are nice and my copy is signed, but I still think I will buy a copy of the finished product for my boys (had two ARC's from BEA) The Not So Good Stuff •drags a wee bit at times •pretty predictable if you are an older reader -- but for the suggested age range it is perfect Favorite Quotes/Passages "I've never met a person I didn't learn something from!" Grandma said. "Even the most monotonous people will surprise you. Remember that." "What was I supposed to tell Mom when she got home? Hi Mom, hope you had a good day at work. Alex fell through a book. By the way, what's for diner? Give me a break!" "It's Rapunzel's tower!" Alex said., and her eyes became a little misty at the sight of it. "Are you seriously crying?" said Conner, who was still on the ground. “The world will always choose convenience over reality. It's easier to hate, blame, and fear than it is to understand. No one wants the truth; they want entertainment.” Who Should/Shouldn't Read •This is the perfect book for the 8-10 yr old bookworm - it will be one of their favorites •Adult will get a kick out of it as well •Fans of Glee should enjoy as well 4.25 Dewey's I recieved a copy at BEA and my copy is signed by Chris Colfer (Thanks to Teri and Cammy for getting me a spot)

Kudos to Chris Colfer! I picked up the book and read through 125 pages before I put it down but only to make dinner. He does an excellent job giving us glimpses into fairy tale characters ever after lives as he tells Conner and Alex' adventure story. The previous review will give you even more detail. Do pick it up, it's worth the purchase.

As there is a lot of variation in the YA section, there's also quite a bit of variation in the Middle Grace shelves. You still get books that are dark, books that are deep, books that are adventurous, and occasionally something ends up in the section and you're not sure why it's there (can we say "Howl's Moving Castle"?). THE WISHING SPELL was an absolutely note-perfect fairy-tale, with just enough edge to make it interesting, and not so much that it was in any way "edgy". I pretty much adored it. The story follows twins Alex and Connor Bailey, who have just turned 12 and are dealing with the recent death of their father. Their mom is doing her best to make ends meet, but money is tight. Alex is a total book-worm and gets teased a lot, while Connor is more popular but not good at school, but the two don't really resent each other's strengths. Whatever else, it's family first. They learned that from their father, who always had stories to tell them whenever they needed advice or to be cheered up. For their birthday, their grandmother gives them an old fairy-tale book, the one their dad used to read to them, and, as is the case in these tales, before long Alex and Connor are sucked into the fairy world and the great adventure that lies therein. What follows is a tremendous romp through a bunch of fairy-tale kingdoms, in search of the spell that will get them back home. They meet a lot of fairy-tale characters, and learn that "happily ever after" is a bit harder to pull off when you can't just close the book and move on with your life. This is, as I've said before, one of my favourite things about fairy-tale retellings, and Colfer manages to pull it off really, really well. In addition to being a tightly written adventure, it's also LAUGH OUT LOUD funny. Colfer's dialogue is delightful, and each character is wonderful, no matter how little time we spend with them. Goldilocks is a wanted felon, Red Riding Hood is a vastly unprepared elected Queen that no one takes seriously, and Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel had the Little Mermaid have all grown up and DONE things with their lives (or, you know, done things with their DEATHS), and it is JUST. SO. AWESOME. What absolutely holds the story together, though, is the relationship between Alex and Connor. They start out as opposites, but Colfer planted very early on the idea that they really aren't so different after all. Watching the two of them work together, learn each other's strengths and weaknesses, and grow up a little bit over the course of the book was easily my favourite part. I lie: my favourite part was the explanation for why all the Kings are called King Charming. ;) Anyway, if you are in the mood for a fun read, or if you have kids under 12 (or with happy spirits, like me!), this is definitely the book for you. 5/5 for weaving together so many stories, for being fantastical and having common sense, for a great sister-and-brother team, for a GORGEOUS map, and for being something I believe would have been published anyway, had the author not already been famous.