The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

The Sisters Grimm tells the story of almost 12-year-old Sabrina and her 7-year-old sister Daphne. Ever since their parents went missing, the girls have been bounced around the foster care system. At the beginning of the book, they are being taken to stay with a woman claiming to be their grandmother. The only problem is that Grandma Grimm died before either girl was born. Or at least that was what their parents said...

In actuality, Sabrina and Daphne's parents lied to protect them. The Grimms, related to the brothers Grimm of fairy-tale fame, are charged with keeping order in the town of Ferryport Landing. Fairy-tale creatures, or "Everafters" as they prefer to call themselves, came to America to escape opression. Soon, humans began to converge and the everafters lashed out, fearing the same opression. Wilhelm Grimm had a witch cast a spell keeping all the everafters in Ferryport Landing as long as a member of the Grimm family still resides in the city, a spell that will endure until the last Grimm dies.

Because of this spell, the Grimms aren't exactly the most popular family in town. Grandma Relda Grimm, however, takes it upon herself to investigate strange fairy-tale encounters. Someone planted a beanstalk, a giant climbed down and smooshed a farmhouse. Mayor Charming (As in PRINCE) tries to dissuade the Grimms from getting involved, making him the prime suspect. They form a theory that Charming lured the giant down to destroy the farmhouse because he is trying to buy up property and rebuild his former kingdom. After their grandmother and her friend Mr. Canis are taken by the giant, Daphne and Sabrina, plus Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream have to work to save her. They enlist the help of Jack the giant killer, now employed at a Big & Tall clothing store. Still, though, even though it seems they have the answers, everything is not as they think it is.

As I mentioned before, I like fairy-tales and retellings of fairy-tales. Thise series seemed like it might be fun. I definitely enjoyed the appearances of characters from stories and books, like Beauty and the Beast arguing at the Mayor's Ball and the three little pigs serving as police officers. There were some fairly poignant moments, such as Sabrina's little breakdown. She admits that she is afraid her grandmother will abandon her like her parents did. Sabrina was difficult to like at the beginning of the book, but I understand that she had good reason to be suspicious of the adults in her life after all she had been through. Daphne was adorable throughout the book. I'm not sure if I will continue the series, and if I do, it probably won't be until after Cannonball Read is over. This was still a pretty good book for children.