Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends
Skeptics of books tied to toy lines will have to rethink their doubts when they read Hale’s series of Ever After High books, linked to a line of dolls by Mattel. Rollicking and filled with puns—one character refers to her bad schedule as a “major fairy-fail”—and incorporating an imaginative plot that assumes readers are fluent in folklore, this first in a new spin-off series, The Storybook of Legends, is a fun read. Milton Grimm, headmaster, expects students to sign an oath that they will agree to stick to their assigned plotlines. Raven Queen, however, is having doubts. She doesn’t want to follow in her evil mother’s footsteps and become the nemesis of her generation’s Snow White—she deplores being typecast. But if she defies tradition, will her story simply disappear along with herself and her story mates? Unexpected plot twists lead to an ending that, unlike a traditional “happy ever after,” promises continued intrigue in new outings. This is a good bet for those who can’t get enough of fractured and retold tales.       HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The toys are popular; thus, the books should follow suit. Cross promotions with Mattel should keep this in front of all the right eyeballs. Grades 4-7. --Karen Cruze