Description
Strange and terrifying things are suddenly happening in a mysterious town where people are disappearing and changing into characters from the Grimm fairy tales.
Twins Willow and Jake Grimm are not prepared for the bizarre gadgets and scary changes in their new home of New Marburg, the location of the top-secret Think Tank where their parents now have jobs as scientists. In this town, people jetpack to work, robots direct traffic, and senior citizens duel with laser swords.
Yet nothing compares to what happens the day after lightning strikes the twins’ house. Their school building transforms around them, becoming a medieval castle—complete with moat, drawbridge, and a dangerous giant who looks strangely like the school’s overly aggressive hall monitor.
Barely managing to escape before a massive beanstalk lifts the castle above the clouds, Willow and Jake learn that their ancestors, the original Brothers Grimm, were more than storytellers. They were Grimmwalkers, able to travel from our universe to Grimmworld: the universe where all fairy tales are born.
Somehow, Willow and Jake have been transported to Grimmworld as well. But before the twins can figure out how to get back to their own universe, they discover that their best friends, Hank and Pearl, have morphed into the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel and been captured by a candy-obsessed witch deep in the Cursed Forest.
Now, aided by a mysterious wizard with shimmering golden eyes and a befuddled, talking naked mole-rat named Chet, the twins must trust in each other, believe in themselves, and find the courage to face their darkest fears in order to save their friends, return to their family, and maybe—just maybe—save the world.
My Thoughts
The middle grade adventures coming out this spring are some of the best I’ve seen in years, and this one adds a lot of fuel to an already hot list. I was completely taken in by the imaginative blend of 21st century science and traditional Grimm fairytales in this fast-paced and fascinating mystery-adventure.
The modern day Grimms, Willow and Jake, are as appealing a set of characters as I’ve come across. They display the best and worst of sibling rivalry and support – very real life. The theme of family devotion and strength runs throughout the story, leading up to an ending that points to more adventures to come.
Middle grade readers who are familiar with Grimm’s Fairy Tales will thoroughly enjoy this 21st century upgrade.
Well done!
Publication Date: March 5, 2024
Published By: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
It's All About the Book 