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! The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Their world is about to change. 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. This fast-paced adventure uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales. Dive into the full series: The Wishing Spell The Enchantress Returns A Grimm Warning Beyond the Kingdoms An Author's Odyssey Worlds Collide 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, MAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. #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 Chris Colfer is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and Golden Globe-winning actor. He was honored as a member of the TIME 100, Time magazine's annual list of the one hundred most influential people in the world, and his books include Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal , Stranger Than Fanfiction , and the books in The Land of Stories series: The Wishing Spell , The Enchantress Returns , A Grimm Warning , Beyond the Kingdoms, An Author's Odyssey, and Worlds Collide , and the companion books A Treasury of Classic Fairy Tales , The Mother Goose Diaries , Queen Red Riding Hood's Guide to Royalty , The Curvy Tree , and Trollbella Throws a Party . The Land of Stories The Wishing Spell By Chris Colfer Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Copyright © 2012 Chris Colfer All right reserved. ISBN: 9780316201575 PROLOGUE THE QUEENS’ VISIT The dungeon was a miserable place. Light was scarce and flickered from the torches bolted to the stone walls. Foul-smelling water dripped inside from the moat circling the palace above. Large rats chased each other across the floor searching for food. This was no place for a queen. It was just past midnight, and all was quiet except for the occasional rustle of a chain. Through the heavy silence a single set of footsteps echoed throughout the halls as someone climbed down the spiral steps into the dungeon. A young woman emerged down the steps dressed head-to-toe in a long emerald cloak. She cautiously made her way past the row of cells, sparking the interest of the prisoners inside. With every step she took, her pace became slower and slower, and her heart beat faster and faster. The