WHATEVER AFTER - BAD HAIR DAY by Sarah Mlynowski

Abby came in ninth for the school spelling bee. Ninth!! She is devastated! Jonah tries to cheer her up by suggesting a trip through the magic mirror. Their new puppy, Prince, joins them this time, and they land in the story of Rapunzel. When they ruin Rapunzel's hair and have to run away from Frau Gothel, things are looking pretty bad for Rapunzel's Happily Ever After.

This is a cute continuation of this popular series. It hints at something yet to come - "You're almost ready." Abby learns a great lesson about identity in this story.

4 out of 5 stars

The next book in the series will be Beauty Queen.

WHATEVER AFTER: DREAM ON by Sarah Mlynowski

Abby and Jonah get sucked into the magic mirror once again, but this time Abby's friend, Robin, gets pulled in, too! As if that isn't complicated enough, Robin bumps into the spindle in Sleeping Beauty's story and falls asleep. Abby and Jonah are going to be in huge trouble unless they can wake Robin, fix Princess Brianna's happily ever after and find a portal home.

A cute addition to this great series. The friend getting pulled in made for a nice change to keep the story from falling into a pattern. Abby gets some great perspective on little brothers from Princess Brianna and her little brother, which is a nice side story. Book 5, Bad Hair Day, will be out in the spring of 2014.

3.5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at this time

CHAPTER BOOK: Whatever After: Sink or Swim by Sarah Mlynowski

Abby and Jonah go back through the magic mirror again, this time into the story of the Little Mermaid. But this isn't the Disney version! This is the original, where the mermaid loses her tongue instead of her voice and the prince marries another which means the mermaid will die. Abby and Jonah do their best to get the mermaid to embrace her underwater life and not even bargain with the sea witch, but she does and they are left to help her connect with the prince and hope for a happy ending.

Another great story in this fun series! I love that the interactions with Abby and Jonah not only "ruin" the original story but also make the fairy tale character they try to help become better a better person - more independent, and in this case teaching the mermaid to read and write. I ordered this one through my son's classroom Scholastic order so I could have it early (Barnes and Noble says this releases April 12th) to share with students. As soon as I put it on display as the book I was reading, I had kids asking about it multiple times during the day, begging me to get it in the library asap.

3 out of 5 stars
No AR level at this time

Recommended for: elementary students, fans of the series, fans of princess stories and/or fairy tales.

CHAPTER BOOK: If the Shoe Fits by Sarah Mlynowski

Abby and Jonah are back in fairy tale land again, this time in Cinderella's story. And everything is going well - they managed not to ruin things for Cinderella at the ball and they've convinced her to play along with her step-sisters and step-mother even though they told her that she's going to get her Happily Ever After with the prince when he brings her lost slipper. But they startle Cinderella while she's holding the (heavy) glass slipper, and it falls on her foot, causing it to bruise and swell. Now Cinderella can't walk, much less do her chores - or put on the lost glass slipper to prove it is hers. Cinderella's fairy godmother refuses to just fix things, saying Cinderella has to learn some self-reliance rather than just waiting around to be rescued. Abby and Jonah have to help Cinderella become independent if they are to have any hope of saving her Happily Ever After - and of getting themselves back home.

Cute! Clever twists on the well-known story will keep readers turning pages to see what happens next. Good message about self-sufficiency in Cinderella's story - as well as Abby's story. Great addition to the series. I had to fight off students who wanted this one, too! Will need to get this into the library asap to keep up with the demand. You can read about book one here and book three, Sink or Swim, will come out May 1st.

4 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level assigned yet

Recommended for: Readers in 1st grade and up, fans of fairy tales and princess stories, fans of mild adventure stories.

Cautions: none