The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, #1)

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The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm #1)

by Michael Buckley, Peter Ferguson (Illustrator)

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 15,340 ratings · 1,829 reviews

In paperback for the first time, the Sisters Grimm take readers to a world where fairy tales are fact and not everyone is who they seem!
In book one of this bestselling series, sisters Sabrina and Daphne are sent to live with their mysterious grandmother, Relda Grimm. The sisters learn they are descendants of the Brothers Grimm, whose famous book of fairy tales is actually...more

Paperback, 284 pages

Published April 1st 2007 by Amulet (first published August 1st 2005)

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Oct 03, 2007 Bonnie Gayle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: younger fans of Jasper Ffrorde, fans of fractured fairy tales

Shelves: mysteries-thrillers, fantasy-sf, reviewed, library-books, series-in-progress

This was a playful and fun book, with a few flaws.

Sabrina and Daphne's parents disapear one day out of the blue, and the police can't find them. They bounce from one horrible foster home to another, until an old lady comes forward claiming to be their Grandmother. This is weird, because their parents told them their Grandmother was dead. When they meet her, she tells them that they are descended from The Brother's Grimm, who wrote down true events that occured with real creatures. All of these c...more This was a playful and fun book, with a few flaws.

Sabrina and Daphne's parents disapear one day out of the blue, and the police can't find them. They bounce from one horrible foster home to another, until an old lady comes forward claiming to be their Grandmother. This is weird, because their parents told them their Grandmother was dead. When they meet her, she tells them that they are descended from The Brother's Grimm, who wrote down true events that occured with real creatures. All of these creatures have now moved to America, and live in the town that they are now in. It is the Grimm's family job to keep these fairy tale creatures in line, which is a big job.

One thing that really bugged me was that the story is told through Sabrina's pov, and she spends the first 100 pages doubting everything and being a brat. I think the story would have been a lot more enjoyable if it had been told through Daphne's pov. She's a sweet girl, and it would have made it a much better story. There are also several flaws. The most glaring one is that the Grimm's, generations ago, bonded the fairy tale creatures to the one town, but the catch was that they bonded themselves there too. If the Grimm's can't leave that town, how did Sabrina and Daphne's father move to NYC, and how did they live there themselves? It's never explained. Another flaw is how many story creatures this town has. Okay, there are the Grimm creatures, and Hans Christian Anderson, and the Wizard of Oz, and Alice in Wonderland, and Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, but then later on in the story, King Arthur shows up. At some point the author has to draw a line, before it becomes every creature from every story, and not just fairy tale creatures.

Overall it was a fun, original, fractured take on the fairy tales. There were jokes that rewarded you for having read the fairy tales, and also from these creatures having to interact with the modern world. The kind of humor you would find in Jasper Fforde's stories, and that I particularly like. It also has a good plot, with a twist at the end that I really didn't expect, which I find very rarely in books on the junior side of the library. On top of that, it's a cute little book, with pages about the size of my hand:) It's a shame that the flaws were so glaring and detracted from an otherwise really cute book. There's a second in the series, and I'm definitely going to read it. I bet it will be a lot more enjoyable now that Sabrina is not doubting everything around her!(less)

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Julie Suzanne Bonnie,

I totally agree about the point of view. I listened to this book on cd, and I was so annoyed with Sebrina that I could barely stand it (I'm an...more
Nov 09, 2009 01:34pm

Lei I'm reading the book now and see nothing wrong with it being told from
Sabrina's point of view. As a writer i know that the best stories show character...more
May 20, 2012 09:58pm

Jun 23, 2007 Emma rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: infinitely patient fans of Vivian Vande Velde or Jasper Fforde

Michael Buckley begins this children's series with a compelling premise: The stories of the brothers Grimm and other fairy tale originators (Hans Christian Andersen, etc.) are all true. In a Tolkien-style spin, fairy tale creatures (called "Everafters") used to coexist with humans, but since then they have been exiled to a small town near the suburbs of NYC. The Grimm family is still around, monitoring the Everafters and suspicious crimes in the area.

Unfortunately, this premise offers little com...more

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Aug 21, 2007 Jennie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonrequired-work-reading

Sabrina can’t believe that her grandmother thinks fairy tales are real. She really can’t believe that fairy tale characters live right in Ferryport. She really, really, really can’t believe that a local farm house didn’t blow up and was really stepped on by a giant. But then Mayor Charming and Glinda the Good Witch are involved in a cover-up and a giant kidnaps Granny Grimm! The Grimm sisters know they need to help and enlist the help of Shakespeare’s Puck, Jack the Giant Killer, and the Magic M...more

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May 22, 2008 Coral rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: retold-fairytales-myths-etc, middle-grade

This is a light-hearted and faced-paced book. It's slightly snarky humor and slap-stick action sequences are designed to appeal to younger readers.

For fans of fairy tales and fairy tale retellings, the definition of fairy tales used here is annoyingly broad--included are characters from L. Frank Baum, Lewis Carroll, and Rudyard Kipling. Also, the author does little with these characters to make them his own. The book's many cliches may be new to the target audience, but will taste stale to many...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Sofia A. added it · review of another edition

12-13-12

I am still reading this book. So this book is about two little sisters who's parents jus disappeared. Well so far the sisters found out that their Grandma is a detective. I remember when once my sisters and I pretended to be detectives. Well they saw this crime scene when this farm got totally smashed. They had no idea what had happened. I would pretty scared because it could have been anything. The good thing was the farmer survived. But he had no idea what happened ether. Well soon th...more
12-13-12

I am still reading this book. So this book is about two little sisters who's parents jus disappeared. Well so far the sisters found out that their Grandma is a detective. I remember when once my sisters and I pretended to be detectives. Well they saw this crime scene when this farm got totally smashed. They had no idea what had happened. I would pretty scared because it could have been anything. The good thing was the farmer survived. But he had no idea what happened ether. Well soon the grandma found something,it was the middle of November, and she had found a perfect green bean leaf just lying on the muddy floor. That happened to my but it was not the middle of November. The Grandma thought it was a giant because she thought it was a magic bean. The oldest sister thought she was crazy. At that moment in the story I thought that too. When I was little I remember trying to find out who took my doll. It was funny because I was a detective. I made everyone in my family laugh very hard. The two girls went on the tractor of the farm and started playing when they were playing the hadn't notice something far far away in the distance. That was the most surprising thing in the whole story. I think this is an awesome book so far. If you want to find out what happened you should read this awesome story!!!!

I am currently reading this awesome wonderful book about two sisters who's parents disappear into thin air. No one has one clue what happened to them. So of course the sisters got put into the orphanage. I remember when I read the book Annie and she was in an orphanage too. When the sisters were little their father told them that their grandma past away before they could meet them. I can relate to that by when my dad told me that my grandma had past away. One day the orphanage got a call and said their grandma wanted to take care of them but then the oldest sister had thought that she was a fake because her dad told her that their grandma past away. The littlest sister thought that the big sister was just being a brat a really thought that her dad was lying and she was going to have fun. I can relate to that by when my little sister didn't know anything she always said the opposite of me. One night the sisters tried to run away but some bug called pixies bit them and they started to bleed. Once a dog bit me and I was bleeding. I think this book Is fantastic. I don't like how the orphanage treated them but overall this is an awesome- great book!(less)

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Jan 26, 2012 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As I read this for a group discussion, I realized I had read it already. I guess it just wasn't all that memorable. I know I'm not going to bother looking for more in the series. However, I strongly suspect that if I'd read this when I was 8 or 9 I would have given it four stars and wanted to read the whole series.

I guess I just didn't quite feel involved. To me it seemed like the author had an idea of what he could sell, but didn't really have the full heart behind the effort. And his vision of...more

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Apr 17, 2008 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: children under twelve, especially girls

My ten-year-old sister reads all sorts of stuff, and I kind of feel a responsibility to make sure that what she's reading has some literary value. Hence, my discovery of "The Sisters Grimm" series.

My initial reaction was that the style of the writing didn't fit the heftiness of the book itself. Weighing in at almost two hundred pages, I was expecting a little more literary depth. The premise is fun; bringing "fairy tale" characters to life and using two ordinary girls as the protagonists definit...more

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Jan 23, 2009 Albert Einstein (andrew) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

a thrilling book that shows that all fairy tales are real... addictive and interesting its high up on my list. followthe grimm family dectective as they stop rebellious fairy tales. see it in librairies near you.

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Feb 02, 2011 MTR rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this and I know I will be recommending it to kids who want an exciting, funny, fast-paced adventure.

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Mar 31, 2010 Lauren Hatfield added it · review of another edition

Michael Buckley has created a fairy tale that revolves around several other well-known fairy tale characters such as pixies, giants, Puck, Magic Mirror, magic flying carpets, Mama Bear, Tinman, and the Big Bad Wolf. I really liked the thrilling adventure that was involved throughout the entire story. At first, I had no idea where the story line was going to go because the sisters were going to live at their grandmothers house but they thought she was dead which I thought was very strange but the...more

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Becky I was very interested in where this story was going to go as well! I have read most of the Brothers Grimm tales growing up and therefore liked the ref...more
Mar 31, 2010 08:55pm

Ekohn It was a very thrilling, adventurous tale. I could not put it down. It was an easy read because the tale's within it were ones that I have heard about...more
Apr 02, 2010 09:20am

Lauren I also thought that this book was interesting! It gave a modern twist to the fairy tales that we grew up reading about. I especially like the part whe...more
Apr 06, 2010 04:53pm

Feb 26, 2009 Brittany rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley: Books One - Four.
When Sabrina and Daphne Grimm’s parents go missing, they meet the grandma they’ve never known before and find out that they are descendents of the famous Brothers Grimm. They also learn that being a part of the Grimm family means they are charged with the task of policing the Everafters. The Everafters (all the characters from fairy tales) are quite a raucous group, and are anxious to free themselves from an old spell and agreement made wi...more

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Feb 03, 2009 MB rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens

Lots of fun for younger readers.

I liked the way the author sprinkled in "big" words by having the older sister define them for the younger sister. That is a great learning experience slipped in smoothly!

On a different note, I was surprised by all the parallels between this book and the Fables graphic novel by Bill Willingham that I read recently. Although the Fables series is a very adult-themed graphic novel and the Sisters Grimm series is for young readers, both are similar in many ways. Both...more

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Feb 02, 2009 Ruth rated it 4 of 5 stars

What if every fairy tale you've ever read was really a record of actual people and events? Sabrina and Daphne are about to find out there's more to their favorite stories than they ever dreamed. Sent to live with a grandmother they never knew existed after their parents' mysterious "disappearance," the sisters are shocked to discover that they're actually descendants of the famous Brothers Grimm. As such they are heirs to an often-dangerous family legacy -- investigating the activities of "Evera...more What if every fairy tale you've ever read was really a record of actual people and events? Sabrina and Daphne are about to find out there's more to their favorite stories than they ever dreamed. Sent to live with a grandmother they never knew existed after their parents' mysterious "disappearance," the sisters are shocked to discover that they're actually descendants of the famous Brothers Grimm. As such they are heirs to an often-dangerous family legacy -- investigating the activities of "Everafters." The Everafters are fairy tale characters, everyone from Cinderella and Prince Charming, Briar Rose, the Three Little Pigs, Dorothy and the Tin Man, and the Queen of Hearts. Hundreds of years earlier, the Everafters, led by Wilhelm Grimm, fled human persecution in Europe and settled in Ferryport Landing in America. However, when the Everafters once again began to feel threatened by humans, Wilhelm made a bargain with a powerful witch -- in exchange for his freedom and that of his descendants, the Everafters could never leave Ferryport. As long as a Grimm lives, the spell remains intact, protecting the separation of the human and fairy tale worlds. When someone unleashes a rogue giant who kidnaps Granny Relda, Sabrina and Daphne get a crash course in what it means to be Grimm as they must hatch a daring plot to rescue her and save Ferryport.

I am a huge fan of classic fairy tales, and I love a well fractured version that brings a new twist to a familiar story. The Fairy Tale Detectives doesn't just warp one story -- no story, no character is "safe" from the tale's delightfully whacky sensibility. Every character and story imaginable, even those outside the fairy tale canon, is thrown together in a world where they all know and interact with each other. Ferryport Landing comes off like a warped version of Hollywood, with all of the Everafters as stars competing for time in the spotlight. Buckley's created a world rich with endless story possibilities as Sabrina and Daphne continue to search for their parents and learn to navigate the human and fairy tale worlds. This series should definitely appeal to fans of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events -- I have to say I prefer the Sisters Grimm -- they're fully of sarcastic humor, but genuinely funny and without the pervasive sense of gloom found in the Snicket books. Lots of fun. (less)

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Nov 21, 2008 Ronda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Ronda by: My son

Shelves: kids_and_ya, fairy-tale-twists

My son (age 10) and one of his friends actually got me started on this series. If you enjoy stories based on fairy-tales, this series is wonderful. Two sisters, Sabrina and Daphne, have been shuffled from one foster home to another after the mysterious disappearance of their parents. Ever resourceful, the two are astonished to find that they have a grandmother--one that their parents never told them about. Of course, their parents also never let them hear or read fairy tales either, which makes...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, children, family-story, fairy-tales, fantasy, mystery

Sabrina and Daphne have been in the foster care system ever since their parents disappeared, but now their grandmother--whom their father had always claimed was dead--has stepped forward to claim them. She lives in a tiny town in a bizarre house with dozens of locks, and Sabrina just wants to break through all of them and run away, because she doesn't believe Relda Grimm is her real grandmother. Soon, though, the girls become aware that Ferryport isn't quite your regular town, and in fact, the G...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Jessica Vanhemel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: popular-series

There are not many illustrations in this book, but the few illustrations included in the text are black and white sketches that correlate really well with the story. The illustrations are very telling, the expressions on the characters faces are extremely realistic and really show the emotions of the characters. The illustrations work really well with the story line.

Everyone has heard of the brothers Grimm, well this is the story of the sisters Grimm, they are the great, great, great, great gra...more There are not many illustrations in this book, but the few illustrations included in the text are black and white sketches that correlate really well with the story. The illustrations are very telling, the expressions on the characters faces are extremely realistic and really show the emotions of the characters. The illustrations work really well with the story line.

Everyone has heard of the brothers Grimm, well this is the story of the sisters Grimm, they are the great, great, great, great granddaughters of the brothers Grimm. This is the first book of nine, here we learn about the characters and what has happened so far in their lives. This is the story of Sabrina and Daphne, they are sisters, and about a year and a half ago the girls parents disappeared and they have been bounced around foster homes for all of that time. Out of the blue, their grandmother Grimm sends for them, they were told that she was dead. Sabrina is the older sister, 11 years old, and she is very suspicious of this crazy old woman that calls herself their grandmother. Daphne, is seven years old, and welcomes and trusts this woman basically from the beginning. Granny tells that about their heritage and that they are fairy tale detectives and they protect the everafters from the world and the world from the everafters. As long as one of the Grimm's stays in Fairyport Landing, none of the everafters can leave the town, most of them are not happy with the arrangement. Soon after the girls arrive, the grandmother and Mr. Canis her companion, are kidnapped by none other than a giant. This is the story of the girls working together to rescue their granny back, they met Puck, the king of the pixies. Together they make a plan for the rescue, they meet Jack the giant slayer, they need his help getting their grandmother back. The girls end up rescuing their grandmother with help from the magic mirror, Prince Charming whom they don't fully trust, and Puck the trickster prince who ends up moving in with them. The real kicker in the story is that Mr. Canis who is old and rickety is none other than the big bad wolf. Nothing is as it seems and they discover the scarlet hand has kidnapped their parents, they were not abandoned. Who knows what the next book will bring us.

The story is fast paced and once the actions gets going there was no stopping it. This is an action adventure story that boys and girls would love. This takes the fairy tales that we know and love and gives them a modern twist, they are made modern and given modern problems, it makes them more realistic. This would be good for a fifth grade student, or even a high fourth grade reader. They would understand and enjoy the content. There are a lot of activities that could go along with the story, you could compare and contrast the different characters of the story, the known and the new fairy tale characters. (less)

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Feb 19, 2013 Betsy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: j-level-novels

Thus far, the story of Sabrina and Daphne Grimm does not end "Happily Ever After." Their parents disappeared over a year ago and ever since they have been moved from foster home to foster home until they are sent to live with their Father's mother, the grandmother they believed was dead.

Granny Grimm is not your typical grandmother and does not live in the typical town. Granny Grimm and therefore the Grimm sisters are relatives of the legendary Brothers Grimm. After Granny is taken by a giant Sa...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Shelf Talkers Anonymous rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What really made me pick up this book and read it is the fact that it's about the Grimm's fairy tales. I can't resist anything to do with the Brothers Grimm or fairy tales in general, and this little mystery series was just perfect for what it is. Now I'm not calling it a literary masterpiece, but for 9 and 10 year old girls, this is got to be one of the best series out there.

Despite the fact that most of this series has to do with wild, crazy, fairy tale happenings, the two main characters (Sab...more

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Oct 28, 2012 lia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-books

Sabrina and Daphne Grimm is an orphan, or so they thought. One day out of the blue their parents left them and afterward life is about orphanage and running from one bad foster parents to another.

Until Relda Grimm claim to be their grandmother and tell them to come to her little town. It turns out that they were the descendant of THAT Grimm brothers, and all fairy tales are living and breathing true story.

So Grimm brothers 'imprisoned' the fairy tales creatures to live in that town (really for...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Despair Speaking rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: awoooooolf, werewolf-galore, look-ma-a-fairy, retelling, something-to-do-with-grimm, fairytales, where-puck-exists

Another book about the Grimms and this one is for children!

Basically, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm had been in more foster homes than a person has fingers. After their parents suddenly disappear, their lives had been about running away from crazy couples who don't take care of them properly. So the agency was overjoyed to find that they actually still have a living relative, who turned out to Granny Relda! Granny Relda seemed to be just as crazy as the couples Sabrina and Daphne had run away from be...more Another book about the Grimms and this one is for children!

Basically, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm had been in more foster homes than a person has fingers. After their parents suddenly disappear, their lives had been about running away from crazy couples who don't take care of them properly. So the agency was overjoyed to find that they actually still have a living relative, who turned out to Granny Relda! Granny Relda seemed to be just as crazy as the couples Sabrina and Daphne had run away from before at first. She actually expected them - well more of Sabrina actually since Daphne accepted it immediately - to believe that fairies exist and that it was their job to take care of fairy-related problems, being the descendants of the Grimm Brothers! Obviously Sabrina didn't take it seriously and planned to escape yet again until she watched a giant take away Granny Relda. It turns out they were real and now it's up to Sabrina and Daphne to save Granny Relda and become proper Grimms!

What ruined the book for me was Sabrina. I could stand the childishness of the whole thing. It's for children after all. But Sabrina. Pissed. Me. Off! All she does was complain, make bad decisions, put the blame on someone else, be useless, and complain.

Seriously.

I could understand why she didn't trust Granny Relda. She had learned from a young age that adults aren't as reliable as someone their age usually think they are. I could also understand why she didn't believe there were such things as fairies and Ever Afters. But I could not stand how she kept on complaining AFTER she found out Granny Relda was the real deal and that there were such things as fairies and Ever Afters. She complained that the way home was long, she complained the food was weird (so what if it was weird? It's food! As long as it's not bad for you and it doesn't taste bad, shut up and eat, you ungrateful... kid!), and that Daphne was being unreasonable about saving Granny Relda when it was her fault in the first place for not listening.

Way to go, Sabrina. And you kept saying that you had to be the strong one for Daphne? For me, she seemed stronger than you.

Sabrina also kept arguing with Puck who had saved her ass and was trusted by Granny Relda in contrast to Jack who almost got them killed with his recklessness and wasn't trusted. Can't she just admit she's wrong?

Apparently not.

The list of what-she-did-wrong goes on. I couldn't help but wish the author could somehow get rid of her and make Daphne the sole heroine. That would have been nice. Oh, and add some estranged, USEFUL cousin so they can be a trio again.

Still, the whole idea of the island and the Ever Afters being stuck there was good and I liked the OTHER characters. So three stars for wonderful setting and plot. Hope the second book will be better.

GO, PUCK!!!(less)

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Oct 08, 2012 Annie McMahon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Positive Points
This book offers a modern take on fairy tale characters we all know so well. It's interesting to guess who each is by their features and the interaction between them.

The characters are well developed. Each character has a clearly defined purpose. In addition to that, "good" characters have their flaws, and "bad" characters can sometimes do good things if it makes sense to them, like teaming up against a common enemy. Characters helping others may have an agenda on their own. This...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Eve Victor rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about two sisters, Sabrina and Daphne, journey in the world of being Grimms. Their parents go missing and after the police seem to do nothing about it when they randomly come across their grandmother who shares with them that they are related to the Grimm brothers. The Grimms have to basically monitor fairy tale creatures, and now, for some reason, these creatures have come to their town and now it is their job to take over the family job. The book then follows them on their journey...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Robert rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Fairy Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book 1)
by Michael Buckley (3 stars)

This is a cute funny young adult/ fantasy / mystery book , think Harry Potter meets Nancy drew.

The book centers on Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, who are the last descendants of the Brothers Grimm. They are sent to live with there Grandmother , who lives in Ferryport landing. Now when the two girls get there , Sabrina does not trust her Grandmother at all . The reason she does not trust Relda Grimm Sabrina and Daphne G...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Dorian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-books

Mr. Buckley has an okay starting premise: fairy tales are in fact all true, and the characters from them all emigrated to America (with the help of the Brothers Grimm) because magic was dying out in the Old World and people were becoming hostile to them. Now, thanks to a magical agreement that some of them regret, they're all confined to a small New England town until the last descendant of the Grimms dies.

Our Heroines in this book are the last descendants of the Brothers Grimm - Sabrina and Dap...more

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May 31, 2012 Shel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade

Buckley, M. (2007). The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy-Tale Detectives. New York: Amulet Books.

284 pages.

Appetizer: Ever since their parents mysteriously disappeared, eleven-year-old Sabrina and seven-year-old Daphne have bounced from horrible foster home to horrible foster home. But now, a woman is claiming to be their grandmother and has requested the sisters come to her home in Ferryport Landing, New York. While Daphne is excited, Sabrina has her doubts. Mostly because her father had always said th...more

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May 30, 2012 Kyle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Michael Buckley’s The Sisters Grimm gives great representations of what old fairy tell characters are doing. The plot is well constructed around two orphaned children, who begin to live with their grandmother. The plot is also very fluent; the mystery the two girls take part in is very sequential, also the girls are present in every chapter. One criticism of the book is that it does not give enough realism to put any truth in the book. While it is a fantasy, real objects can bring some familiari...more

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May 11, 2012 Dana "dew" rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay... here's the deal. I found this to be a light, fun story. I probably would have given it 3 stars, but I listened to the audio book version and the narrator did such a good job that I'm bumping it up to 4 stars.

Buckley introduces us to some percocious --- and some might even say 'bratty' orphaned kids --- who are being forced to go live with some woman claiming to be their grandmother. They soon discover that the characters they read about in fairy tales are not only real, but living in th...more

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Apr 28, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-library-books, part-of-a-series

What a fun book!

I thought this was a delightful read and a great first book to the series. The reader is introduced to the Grimm family and to Ferryport Landing in a way that explains what the basis of the town is without bogging down the story.

In The Fairy-Tale Detectives we are introuduced to Sabrina and Daphne Grimm who are bing taken to live with there Grandmother Grimm, who they didn't know was alive, after there parents disappear and are presumed dead. The girls at first think their Gran...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Ensiform rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Two girls, eleven-year-old Sabrina Grimm and seven-year-old Daphne, have been in foster homes since their parents disappear. Out of the blue, they are sent to a woman claiming to be their grandmother, who spins a strange tale of all the fairy tales being true and the Grimm family destined to watch over the Everafters like detectives. Sabrina thinks the old lady is insane, until a 200-foot giant snatches the car with Grandma and her helper Mr. Canis in it.

It’s highly enjoyable stuff, and kids wil...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This would be a great book to read to my grandchildren. Buckley gives a distinct twist to the old world fairy tales by moving all of the fairy tale characters to North America and making them real. In Fairy Tale Detectives, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm have been left by their parents who have mysteriously disappeared. For a year and a half, the two girls have been in and out of foster homes and the orphanage until their grandmother, who their father said was dead, suddenly claims them. The grandmoth...more

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About Michael Buckley

New York Times bestselling author Michael Buckley was born in Akron, Ohio. He tried his hand as a stand-up comic and lead singer for a punk rock back before attending Ohio University. After graduating with honors he moved to New York City to be an intern on the Late Show with David Letterman which led to stints developing programming for Discovery Networks, MTV, MTV Animation and Klasky Csupo (pro...more

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Books by Michael Buckley

The Unusual Suspects (The Sisters Grimm, #2)

The Problem Child (The Sisters Grimm, #3)

Magic and Other Misdemeanors (The Sisters Grimm, #5)

Once Upon a Crime (The Sisters Grimm, #4)

Tales From the Hood (The Sisters Grimm, #6)

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Trivia About The Fairy-Tale De...

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Quotes from The Fairy-Tale Detectives

“You can't judge the many by the actions of the few.” — 83 people liked it

“The night is young, and by the grace of magic, so are we.” — 52 people liked it

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The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm #1)

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