The Wishing Spell (The Land of Stories, #1)

by Chris Colfer

“It’s your turn, Mr. Bailey,” the teacher announced. She was sitting so close to him that he could feel the warm breath from her nostrils on the back of his neck.

Grandma loved helping people, especially if it was against their will.

“Do you think there’s a fairy godmother hotline we could call?” Conner asked.

“We’ll figure it out,” Conner said. “Or I should say, you’ll figure it out, and I’ll pretend I helped.”

“I order you to release me at once!” Red Riding Hood said. Her dress was so big and layered that she wasn’t harmed from being dragged, but she was extremely aggravated. “Do you have any idea what my soldiers are going to do to you once they catch you?” “Oh, shut up, you red-hooded harlot!” Goldilocks said.

“The world will always choose convenience over reality,” the Evil Queen said. “It’s easier to hate, blame, and fear than it is to understand. No one wants the truth; they want entertainment.”

Froggy leaned down beside her. “It doesn’t matter how greatly you’ve been hurt or how much you’re hurting, it’s what you do with the pain that counts,” he said. “You could cry for years, and rightfully so, or you could choose to learn and grow from it. Take it from me: I spent years hiding in a hole, afraid to come out because of what people would think of me. But one day I decided to leave, and I ended up saving lives!”