Switched

February 1, 2018

Gr 3-5-In the fourth title of the "Fairy Tale Reform School" series, a feisty heroine is teacher and student as she learns about trust, betrayal, and being true to herself. Gilly Cobbler embarks on a quest to rescue her sister Anna who has joined Rumplestiltskin and his malevolent Stiltskin Squad. Uncertain if Anna switched her allegiance from good to evil willingly, Gilly and her friends (fairies, ogres, and magic pets) are not content to just attend classes at Enchantasia's school for the not-quite-royal while family members continue to go missing. The school's newest student, Jack (of beanstalk fame), becomes a reluctant ally for Gilly after his mother and cow's mysterious abduction has left him to fend for himself. New teachers Beauty and the Beast have undisclosed reasons for protecting their daughter and preventing the student body from opening cursed library books and falling under Rump's wicked influence. The author's lively, fast-paced style works well for readers eager to jump right into the action. Characters develop through memorable episodes of magical transformation and relatable school-kid drama. Plotlines have satisfying yet unpredictable resolutions that leave room for another installment. Clever Pegasus Postletters and Happily Ever After Scrolls (news updates) between chapters whimsically add background information about the school and its unique happenings. VERDICT This entertaining series will satiate readers for whom Disney's "Descendants" is a year or two out of reach.-Jane Miller, Nashville Public Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2018
Gilly, the cobbler's delinquent daughter, is still at reform school, still searching for her runaway sister, and still fighting the evil Rumpelstiltskin. Even though Gilly has successfully petitioned for a change in the Fairy Tale Reform School's rules to allow partially reformed students to stay and hone their skills, she continues to be her own worst enemy. Whether it is accidentally releasing a band of pirates into their new library, zoning out during one of Prince Sebastian's (aka the Beast's) lessons, or trying to help Jack (as in the beanstalk) escape the school, Gilly cannot stay out of trouble. What she needs to focus on is finding Rumpelstiltskin and her missing sister, but she keeps getting distracted by her falling grades, new friends, and old enemies. The danger is real, but the faculty and staff--composed of fairies, werewolves, mermaids, and more--seem unwilling or unable to protect Enchantasia. Now into its fourth volume, this fast-paced mashup of fairy tales successfully tackles real-life issues such as prejudice, gender-role conformity, and self-esteem. Gilly is white, but Jack's brown skin demonstrates that Calonita is not limiting herself to the European default of the source material. More adventures are to come for Gilly, but in the meantime, a preview of a new, linked series, Royal Academy Rebels, is included to whet readers' appetites. Grimm favorites continue to battle for control of an enchanted kingdom in this satisfying series outing. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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