Have you ever wondered what happened to your favorite fairy-tale characters after the stories end? Chris Colfer’s novel THE LAND OF STORIES: THE WISHING SPELL gives readers a glimpse of what really goes on in the world of fairy tales, seen through the eyes of two lost preteens.

Twins Alex and Conner Bailey are different as can be: Alex is unpopular and studious, while Conner is the bane of their teacher’s existence. One of the few things they can agree on is how much they love the fairy tales their grandmother used to read them from her old storybook, THE LAND OF STORIES. For their twelfth birthday, Grandma gives them this treasured heirloom, and its magical powers are revealed when the twins fall into the Land of Stories. Things here are a little different than in stories: Goldilocks is a wanted woman, Red Riding Hood is crushing on Jack (of beanstalk fame), and Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty are all sisters-in-law (they DID all marry a Prince Charming, after all).

There’s only one hope to get home: The Wishing Spell, which requires an object from each story (like Cinderella’s glass slipper, Red Riding Hood’s basket, a strand of Rapunzel’s hair). Easier said than done, as Snow White’s stepmother, The Evil Queen, has escaped from prison and is after the same objects as the twins.

Author Chris Colfer is best known for his role on GLEE, and THE LAND OF STORIES is his debut novel. Even though he hasn’t been known for writing, his novel does not disappoint. While THE LAND OF STORIES is classified as a young adult novel, anyone who’s ever enjoyed fairy tales would love it. Colfer has a sharp wit, as well as a deep empathy. One of the major themes in the novel, as becomes clear through the story of The Evil Queen, is that frequently the people that we villainize are the people whose story hasn’t been told. THE LAND OF STORIES is a fun, twisted take on stories from childhood that can be enjoyed by young and old alike