When twins Alex and Conner receive a fairy tale collection for their 12th birthday, the brother and sister are soon sucked inside the book's pages. They find themselves in a world where Happily Ever After already happened, where the Big Bad Wolf's pack is hell-bent on vengeance, Snow White's wicked queen has escaped incarceration, and Red Riding Hood has ascended to her own kingdom. In narrating his own book, Colfer—of Glee fame—lacks the charisma he so frequently displays on television, and is outmatched by the book's large cast of fairy tale characters. Snow White, the Evil Queen, Goldilocks, Alex, Conner, and most everyone else sound too similar: all of them reduced to a low, throaty whisper. Additionally, Colfer's narration is almost indistinguishable from the voices he creates for his characters. This is particularly unfortunate because his book is filled with larger-than-life characters—requiring a dramatic and larger-than-life performance. Ages 8–up. A Little, Brown hardcover. (July)

Gr 4 Up—This delightful installment brings listeners back into Colfer's (The Enchantress Returns) unique fairy tale realm with twins Conner and Alex Bailey. Alex has settled into her training as a fairy godmother, while Conner is forced to work his way through school trying to be "normal," which is very difficult when you have fairy blood. When brand-new Brothers Grimm tales are discovered in Germany, Conner's interest is piqued. It's lucky that his class is heading there on a field trip, even luckier that his crush, Bree, is going as well. As the Grimms' tales are read, Conner realizes these stories are warnings about events that'll happen 200 years in the future—which is TODAY. Frantic, Conner must find a way back to the Land of Stories to warn his sister and grandmother of impending doom. Colfer narrates his tale with ease, creating the illusion of more than one voice. Familiarity with previous installments is not completely necessary to follow the story; however, listeners will most likely want to hear the first two and will definitely be clamoring for the fourth due to the epic cliff-hanger. A great choice for fantasy and fractured fairy tales enthusiasts.—Amanda Schiavulli, Finger Lakes Library System, NY

Gr 4–7—Like a kinder, gentler Inkheart, (Chicken House 2003), Chris Colfer's first novel (Little, Brown, 2012) features a parallel world residing within the pages of a family book—a world whose inhabitants are, in general, ignorant of any world other than their own. Into this appropriately named "Land of Stories" fall 12-year-old twins, Alex and Connor. After the initial excitement of meeting the likes of Goldilocks, Sleeping Beauty, and other fairytale world denizens, the twins are anxious to return home. The way out, however, is not as simple as the way in. They must gather items from a cryptic riddle to perform the Wishing Spell, and soon discover they are not alone in seeking these items. A mysterious girl tracks them and perils await. The weighty danger and adventure is lightened by the wisecracking Connor, a perfect foil for Alex, his more serious sister. If the twins are a little too lucky and clueless at times (a well-read girl like Alex would surely know to avoid the gingerbread cottage in the woods), and phrasing is occasionally trite, it's a small price to pay for an otherwise satisfying adventure. As one might expect from Glee star, Chris Colfer, the narration is superb. His youthful voice is ideal for the roles of the young siblings as well as the large cast. He speaks conversationally in a pleasing voice, although the constant refrain of "he said," "she said," can become tiresome. Colfer's popularity and top-notch narration should ensure a fine reception for this first title in a projected series.–Lisa Taylor, Ocean County Library, NJ

Gr 3–7—Twins Alex and Connor, along with Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Mother Goose, and other characters chase a masked man—the twins' uncle—into stories such as The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland. He is always a step ahead and bargains for troops to take over the kingdoms in the fairy world. Alex and Connor wind up separated in the stories of King Arthur and Robin Hood, needing to create a potion and get back to Oz. Peter Pan and the Tin Woodman join the adventures. Several subplots add depth to the narration—a girl finding genetic links to Wilhelm Grimm, Red Riding Hood marrying the Frog Prince, and a witch who takes life's energy from children. Colfer's narration is excellent, giving different voices to the many characters and keeping the pace of the rollicking story moving. VERDICT Adults will appreciate references to Hans Christian Andersen and other classic tales, while children will just appreciate good stories on their own terms.—Debbie Whitbeck, formerly of West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI