The Sisters Grimm, The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley
The Sisters Grimm, The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley opens as eleven year old Sabrina Grimm and her seven year old little sister Daphne are being shuttled from their last foster home to a new home in Ferryport Landing. This time it’s different. The woman who is taking them into her home says that she is their grandmother. But Sabrina doesn’t believe it, she knows that her grandmother is dead. Grandmother Grimm is unlike any other woman that they’ve ever met. Sabrina knows they are in trouble as soon as they arrive at Grandma Grimm’s home fifteen miles away from the nearest neighbor. In addition to twelve locks on the door, Grandma Grimm also talks to the house by knocking on the door three times and declaring “We’re home” before walking through the door.
Everything becomes even more strange to the two sisters when they discover that their so called grandmother is a detective, but not a normal detective as she’s investigating a possible house squashing by nothing other than a giant. It doesn’t take long for the girls to realize that the Grandma Grimm and themselves are the descendants of the Brothers Grimm, who’s classic book of fairy tales is more truth than fiction.
When the giant kidnaps their grandmother, the two sisters must rely on all the magical fairy tale creatures that live in Ferryport Landing to get her back alive. Perhaps what I enjoyed the most about The Sisters Grimm was finding out what all my favorite characters were up to. Prince Charming is the mayor, the three little pigs are the town’s law enforcement, Ichobad Crane is the jailer and so on. Overall, the book was a fun, quick read which I think will make for a good read-a-loud books with parents and their kids, particularly girls. I’m curious to know where the rest of the story takes us, but not rushing out to pick them up immediately.
Once again, my husband also read this book. And I asked him for his book review. It’s his first and I must say much more entertaining than mine!
Taylor’s Book Review:
I picked up The Sisters Grimm because of the title. I am a big fan of twisted fairy tales and fairy tales reimagined. I also liked the cover. I read this book about a year ago. I remember it clearly like it was my unbirthday or something. It was sitting on the shelf at the library all alone. And I looked at the little orange book and it looked back at me. It was like a stranded puppy but square and bookish. Then it magically floated into my fingertips and opened to the first page. The pages were cut all cool and jagged like it was handmade by the Brothers Grimm themselves and buried for hundreds of years, waiting all this time for me to find it and read its pages.
I think The Sisters Grimm started out really fun. In the middle like most books its slowed down. The two sisters are relatives of the Brothers Grimm and solve mysteries. They met some character that wasn’t from a fairytale so I thought that was a little strange. I liked the premise a lot. I was expecting a little more “pow” at the end but it was still good. I think Harry Potter has spoiled me forever.
You know what else has spoiled me? The Sixth Sense. Even after watching it almost nine years ago I still compare endings to that movie. I don’t know why I thought of that. The Sixth Sense is nothing like the Sister’s Grimm. Except that they . . . No, I really can’t think of how they are alike in any way. I probably said that because its almost 2:00 am and my wife wants me to write a book review for her. This is the worst book review I’ve ever written. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series and going to sleep for three hours before I getting up to start the day. Thundercats Ho.
Links of interest: Sisters Grimm website.
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy, Fairytale
Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers. August 1, 2005.
Hardcover. 192 pages. ISBN 0810959259.
The Sisters Grimm is available from your local independent bookstore, Powell’s, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Middle Readers
Tags: A-D Author, fairy tales, fantasy, Q-T Title, twisted fairy tale
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lol. I enjoyed that thanks. Thundercats Ho lol
on May 15th, 2009 at 9:51 amTaylor, If you like twisted fairy tales I would HIGHLY recommend one of my favorite books from last year – The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (you can read my review here: http://thewrittenword.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/the-book-of-lost-things/). It is an excellent book filled with fairy tales with strange twists and a great ending.
on May 15th, 2009 at 9:51 amWe’re in the middle of book two. I have a mixed feeling about them. I love that they are centered on the two sisters, but the plot relies too much on Puck. But I know there are more books to get thru, perhaps Sabrina will save Puck one of these days.
on May 15th, 2009 at 9:54 amNatasha, I am impressed that you were able to get your husband involved in this! My husband only reads one or two books a year. I wanted him to write a blurb on one of those books, and he ran the other direction! So Taylor, just the fact that you got on here and did this for your wife is really all that counts!
on May 15th, 2009 at 10:38 amLOL.
I LOVE LOVE these books!! You really need to keep reading to get the whole picture. They’re hard to separate out, I think.
(Keep reading, Veronica. I love Puck.)
on May 15th, 2009 at 11:53 amI have book two on my shelves now. Taylor, I agree with you when you say that you want to know what happens next but there’s not the urge to run out and pick the books up. You did great!
on May 15th, 2009 at 1:38 pmHow fun! Of course Taylor had to mention a movie in his review. I’m not a big fan of fantasy but I think I would enjoy this because all of the characters are familiar to me.
on May 15th, 2009 at 1:56 pmhaha! That was an enjoyable review! I wish my guy read… I really want to read this series but the library doesn’t have the first one. They used to, so I think someone must have kept it! I hate when that happens!
on May 15th, 2009 at 4:36 pmI like this series as well but agree with Taylor-they do get slow in the middle!
on May 15th, 2009 at 8:49 pmI love that the two of you are reading the same books!! Keep it up!
on May 15th, 2009 at 9:21 pmThundercats. Ho! Hee! Love it.
Have you checked out the “Fables” comic series? They’ve got a world based on twisted fairy tales and I’ve enjoyed them — although you might want to start with a graphic novel so you get a whole storyline.
on May 16th, 2009 at 6:39 amNice reviews. Too funny, Taylor; I liked your tangent into the Sixth Sense! I love fantasy, so I may give this one a shot.
on May 16th, 2009 at 10:45 am“I see dead people.” Not really.
I like this “he said/she said” approach to a review. Taylor would be good company for my husband, they share a similar sense of humor.
on May 16th, 2009 at 3:17 pmI like the husband and wife joint review thing! Keep writing at 2:00 a.m. there Taylor. I enjoyed both reviews. AND Becky the Literary Nut told me at today’s children’s book fair in Provo that you were there, Natasha. I got up on a ladder and someone gave me a megaphone to call your name, but you must have left by then. Actually, no ladder, no megaphone, but if there had been I would have done it. Sorry I didn’t get to meet you and give you a hug. I love, love, love your blog and all the books you’re introducing me to.
on May 16th, 2009 at 4:25 pmI’ve seen this book and I’ve been wanting to pick it up. I too am impressed that you got your husband to write a review. Especially at 2am. Mine would NEVER. But…it was our anniversary today…and my computer died 2 days ago and he went out and bought me a new laptop. YAY
on May 16th, 2009 at 9:42 pmThere is definitely a special place in my heart for these books. From where I am sitting I can see the seventh title, lovely and green. I cannot wait to start reading it!!
on May 17th, 2009 at 6:36 amI love the premise of this book! I enjoyed both reviews. Love the comparison to Sixth Sense! My husband cooks, but he doesn’t review, not even the scads of cookbooks he lugs into the house all the time. I’m very impressed!
on May 18th, 2009 at 2:24 pmI’m so happy another fairy tale book has come out. As a children’s illustrator, I’m always on the lookout for new fairy tales that I can render into pen and ink.
on June 1st, 2009 at 9:27 amHi, I came over from J. Kaye’s Book Blog. I think I’m going to have to read this book and I lol’d at Taylor’s review. Thanks for that. Thundercats Ho!
on July 2nd, 2009 at 8:44 ami am waiting for book 7 to come into my library uhhh!!i cant wait this series is amazing!!!
on October 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 ampuck is hallarious!!Sabrina is strange lol just kidding and daphne needs to stop acting like a gronup she sorta stinks at it
but this series is so amazing at first i read a few pages in the first book then i went uhh this book is boring but then a few years after i read it again and im like wow!!!this is amazing and now all of my friends are reading them cus i told them about it!
on October 3rd, 2009 at 11:23 amI LOVE SITERS GRIMM every time i finish one i get sad becuse i dont have the next one . im 10 years old and im on the 7th i really want all my friend to read it but they never do when the start it i bet they wish they would have do it when i have told them. im obsesed with them and im a number 1 fan more the you oh and guess what there making a movie of the first three books in 2010 i wanted be sabrina. my cusin thinks i look just like here. it would mean the hole world to me to get that part. and just to tell you im OBSESESD WITH SISTERS GRIMM (AND MY FAVORITE CHARITORS IS PUCK THEN SABRINA) I CANT wait TILL THE 8 BOOK IS OUT
on November 17th, 2009 at 7:05 pm