The Unusual Suspects (The Sisters Grimm, #2)

The Unusual Suspects (The Sisters Grimm #2)

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4.18 of 5 stars 4.18  ·  rating details  ·  8,394 ratings  ·  540 reviews
In book two of the series, the Sisters Grimm start school at Ferryport Landing Elementary. Daphnes lucky enough to get Snow White for a teachershe loves little peoplebut poor Sabrinas stuck with Mr. Grumpner and a class of mildly psychotic sixth graders. When Mr. Grumpner is found hanging in a spiders web, it is up to the Grimms to find the Everafter who did it. If only Sa...more
Paperback, 290 pages
Published April 1st 2007 by Amulet (first published October 1st 2005)
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Community Reviews

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Jennie
Sabrina and Daphne are off to school. Daphne loves being in class with Snow White as a teacher, but Sabrina’s having a tougher time–she keeps getting teased and beat up. Things don’t get any better when Puck joins her class! But even Daphne can’t deny there are monsters loose in the school and they’re killing people. There are red handprints all over. Even Mayor Charming is turning to the Grimm Sisters for help solving the case!

But Sabrina's anger at not being able to find her parents is growin...more
Benjamin Thomas
If you should be looking for a fun series to read aloud to some young people in your life, this is a pretty good series. Lots of fairy tale adventure with the characters not exactly like you remember from the originals. Throw in some life lessons for the youngsters and a good time will be had by all.

Having said that, the ending pissed me off...not to mention the 10 and 7 year olds to which I was reading this story. At the height of the action, just when everybody is in peril...I see the dreaded...more
sj
So, even if this isn't technically the series that Once Upon a Time is based on, it is similar enough that I mentioned it to my 13y/o when he and I started watching the show a few months ago.

He was immediately intrigued, and asked if I could add the books to my old his reader. He read the first one in a day, and started the second the following day, then started to bug me about when I was going to read this one so we could discuss.

Kids, right?

I like that the Grimm family keeps track of ALL story...more
Tina
Apr 05, 2008 Tina rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: kids, fantasy fans
Shelves: kid-lit, 2008
I wish they had these books around when I was growing up. They are a fun read with a protagonist that any hormonal tween can relate too. I appreciate that we see faults in Sabrina as she learns some hard truths about herself. Flawed heroes and heroines are always more interesting. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.
MsThomas
I read this book on the plane back from the US, and it was terrific! The main character, Sabrina, was feisty and interesting, and the plot was just complex enough to hold my interest. The idea behind this series is that the Brothers Grimm and all the fairytale characters founded a town alongside humans with magical protection so they can live safely (they were chased out of Europe). The Sisters Grimm, modern day relatives of the brothers, live with their grandmother and solve local crimes while...more
Leah
Rating: 3 of 5

The Unusual Suspects was another entertaining entry in the Sisters Grimm series; however, it's unlikely I will read any further than Book Two. I enjoyed the humor and the mash-up of different fairy tales. But it's all too simple for my current tastes. Even the cliffhanger ending just wasn't enough to grab my interest.

The Sisters Grimm would be a great fit for kids around 8-14 *or* people wanting to read aloud to kids those ages.

Note to self: Rumpelstiltskin and his children were th...more
Tracy
I was excited to read a book about the Grimm Sisters. The TV shows "GRIMM" and "Once Upon A Time" seem to have evolved out of this series of stories, albeit they are for an older audience. (It makes me wonder, is Michael Buckley's concept original, or could I find another book decades earlier using the same concept - fairy tale creatures trapped and hiding in the real world?) Either way, I had heard good things and was looking forward to reading an acclaimed series.

I was disappointed. The story...more
Sara
MY TAKE:
Again, a charming twist on the classic fractured fairy tales. Original story lines and interesting adaptations.

I like Daphne’s easy acceptance of life and any troubles that may come along her way – it is a good guideline for children. I admire Sabrina’s sense of responsibility toward her sister, but her inability to open up and let people in is bordering on bratty, and I believe that in a continuing story series, you should (generally) like the main characters. I’m starting not to like S...more
Shweta
It's been a while since I reviewed my first Micheal Buckley book in Sisters Grimm series. For those who haven't read that review , I loved it. I know it's more of a tween book but there is so much in it for everybody. I guess there's a child in each of us who refuses to grow up. One who can gulp down fairy tales , Nancy Drews, Hardy Boys , Ramona Quimbys without giving a thought to the adult image we carry around. Don't let the tag of a fairy story stop you from reading this book. Believe me it'...more
Misslittlebookfeet
I loved the Unusual Suspects; it did have its flaws but as it helped me through a break-up I gave it five stars. Anyway, on to the review.

I started with this book in the Sister's Grimm series under the belief that this was the first book while I read it. I found out that the Unusual Suspects was the second book which surprised me. I wasn't confused about the characters or story which, was one trait which appealed to me greatly; occasionally you must read the first book to understand the second....more
Drebbles
Sabrina and Daphne Grimm have been living with their grandmother for over a month and they are just now starting to go to school. Seven-year-old Daphne adjusts to school immediately, who wouldn't with Snow White as your teacher? Twelve-year-old Sabrina has a harder time adjusting; her teacher, Mr. Grumpner, lives up to his name, and the kids in her class aren't exactly friendly. Plus, she'd rather spend the time looking for her missing parents instead of being in school. But Sabrina's attention...more
Sara H.
(view spoiler)[Sabrina Grimm is having problems dealing with the fact that she is supposed to live in harmony with the Ever Afters, some of which may be involved in kidnapping her parents, so she's being excluded from all the exciting detective work and Daphne's being punished too. There are 3 monsters (a frog-girl, a giant spider, and an ugly beast) attacking the elementary school, which the sisters, Puck, and the Pied Piper/principal's son, Wendell, are determined to catch. They find out it's...more
Katie Kerns
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Keira Van Beekum
I read the first one and thought it was okay. I began the second one because all of my students really seemed to be enjoying the series and I had purchased the first two books in a set. This series is a lot of fun, although, it's not one I can't put down. With that said, I have to admit that upon finishing this book, I had to go out and buy the next one as Michael Buckley really leaves you hanging and extremely intrigued to find out what will happen next!
Jennifer
This one was even better than the first. It had me on the edge of my seat at times--these books have some very intense, action-packed moments--and then turn right around and make me laugh out loud.

I think the characters are very well written and fleshed out, be it Sabrina's understandable anger and frustration over how helpless she feels to save her parents or Puck's inherent and underlying goodness, which he tries he best to hide.

I also like the fact that the book teaches a subtle lesson about...more
Ray
The second novel of the Sisters Grim was much better and far more interesting to read than the first novel. I thought the characters were very well developed and easily imaginable. I think Michael Buckle made his characters grow a lot and show sides of themselves that was unknown in the first novel. I think the developing feelings and age is great to notice and is compelling to read from the characters. I thought the story line and plot was very mysterious, however some antagonist characters wer...more
07LindsayS
Lindsay Stratton Period 6 290 pages 9 points

Have you ever wanted to solve mysteries, meet fairy-tale characters and find clues to a family members disappearance. Then The Sisters Grimm: The Unusual Suspects is for you. And the best part is it's for all ages, old and young. As you read about strong and smart Sabrina and a happy and excited Daphne, and their Grandma, you get wrapped up in the story.
Still filled with anger over her paren'ts disappearance, Sabrina Grimm and her sister Daphne along...more
Jenny
Listened to this on CD with my kids. Another great adventure with the Sisters Grimm. My kids can hardly wait to hear this each day in the car...in fact on a couple of occasions they have brought it inside and listened (once for more than an hour). Lots of action and adventure.

I do have 2 complaints. Number one is that it ends on a total cliffhanger which bugs me a bit. I prefer to have at least a bit of a resolution even if there are some loose ends that make you want to read the next one.

My se...more
PurplyCookie
In this second book in the series, Sabrina and Daphne continue their family's fairy-tale detective work in the Hudson River town of Ferryport Landing. The village has more than its share of Everafters, a group of fairy-tale characters who escaped persecution in Europe by fleeing to America over 200 years ago.

Here, the sisters start attending the local elementary school where the principal just happens to be the Pied Piper of Hamelin and Snow White is a most beloved teacher. Almost instantly, on...more
Cheryl in CC NV
Y' know, I shoulda stuck by my decision not to go past the first. But I heard so much good stuff about this I decided to give it a try. Well, it was better written - the characters were in some ways more deep & complex, and there's a good lesson about bigotry and another about letting your emotions control you. But the creativity of the premise is already stale - and there's (apparently) 7 more books to go! Even though it took less than 2 hours to read, I was drifting and waiting for it to b...more
Rachel
(I listened to this on CD, and didn't read it straight from the book)
This was a fantastic book! I thought it was even better than the first one, which I also enjoyed. I don't gravitate toward books with a lot of name-calling for my kids (almost 9 and 6), but for some reason it doesn't bother me so much in this, because it's mostly done in a teasing way and hasn't encouraged my kids to start doing the same thing, as they already know what's appropriate to say and what isn't. It is a lot darker th...more
Deirdre
When their parents disappear, sisters Sabrina (age 11) and Daphne (age 7) Grimm are sent to live with their grandmother. Soon after they discover they are descendants of the brothers Grimm, and must take on their family’s role as fairytale detectives. This series makes use of characters found in works from the Hans Christian Andersen to Shakespeare to create a story loaded with humour and adventure. While the protagonists of the series are female, there are interesting and mischievous male chara...more
Carie
Probably 3.5 for me. Again, it’s quite a juvenile story that’s definitely intended for a younger audience and the mixed fairytale stories/characters are a little chaotic. Lots of crazy, unbelievable goings on, too, that you really can’t think about too much or you find yourself rolling your eyes and saying, “Oh, brother!” I think this is why it works better for kids. That aside, though, this is a funny and imaginative book that I’m sure kids absolutely adore. It’s really unpredictable and fun! S...more
Jessica Thlick
This book I found interesting when my dad started reading them to my family. Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are new and still getting used to being in the family business. They are left with their Grandma who in an investigator in a town of fairy tail creatures. There has been a crime at the the school the girls go to. Granny Relda and the sisters have to uncover the mystery. My favorite quote of the book was ,"And send rabbits to eat us! I'm a seven-year-old girl.Do you know how important bunny rabb...more
Karissa
This is the second book in the Grimm Sisters series by Buckley. I thought the first book was okay, but a bit weak in characterization and plot. This book was much better than the first book and I enjoyed it a lot more. I listened to this book on audiobook and the audiobook was well done. This narrator isn't my favorite but he does a good job of giving the characters distinct voices.

Daphne and Sabrina finally have to start school; they've been putting it off for as long as they can but if they do...more
Jolie Kerenick
My husband read this aloud to my 10 year old girls and me. It is a great read aloud book. There is some tongue in cheek humor, particularly related to some of the character names, that the kids missed that had my husband and I laughing out loud. We really enjoyed this as a family. I will admit that I fell asleep at times so I missed some parts but I really enjoy this series (this is the second in the series. my husband read the first aloud to us as well but it has been at least 2 years so I have...more
Melissa
This is the 2nd installment of The Sisters Gimm series. In this book, the girls get to start a new school and of course they end up in the middle of a new mystery. Why are the kids all so tired all the time, what kind of monsters are attacking the teachers?

What an entertaining story! I picked this up to read today because I wasn't feeling good and wanted something light to read while I was resting. I'm so glad I did. This book had an interesting mystery to solve, some humorous moments, and I cli...more
Doris
Often a second book in a series tends to be less than the previous. Not the case here!

In this second adventure of the youngest members of the Grimm clan, Sabrina and Daphne are off to a great start in keeping the fairytales quiet and controlled. During this story, they get to battle an escape attempt (the Foreverafters can't leave Ferryport) while attempting to meld with the normal children at school.

The younger sister, Daphne, enjoys her class and her teacher, but teh older, Sabrina, has a tou...more
Linda
Since all the reviews seem to be in the positive, I guess that it must be just me who finds this book, the first one I've read of the Sisters Grimm series, a little bit slapstick stupid. I love the concept- a town where many of the inhabitants hide behind normal lives when they are actually characters from fairy tales and the two main protagonists, sisters and descendants of the Brothers Grimm who wrote the Fairy Tales, search for truth and justice but geez. Daphne, the 7 year-old sister acts mu...more
Lacey Louwagie
Aug 23, 2009 Lacey Louwagie rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fairy tale fans
While the first book relied on its re-imagining of traditional fairy tale characters to hold my interest, the second book in the series has a plot strong enough to stand on its own. With the "introductions" and "setting of the stage" out of the way, the story starts moving much more quickly in this installment. In addition, "The Unusual Suspects" deepens Sabrina's character substantially, with her character development playing an integral role in the overall story arc. This installment also whip...more
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Book Discussions ...: * The Unusual Suspects 1 1 Mar 17, 2013 01:35pm  
The Unusual Suspects (The Sisters Grimm, #2)
The Unusual Suspects (The Sisters Grimm, #2)
The Unusual Suspects (The Sisters Grimm, #2)
The Unusual Suspects (The Sisters Grimm, #2)
The Unusual Suspects (The Sisters Grimm, #2)

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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
More about Michael Buckley...
The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, #1) 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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