The Wishing Spell is the first book in a series of four, and is about twins whose father had died a year ago. They are in the same class in Year 6, but are completely different. Alex Bailey is a girl who is very smart and is a teacher’s pet, but doesn’t have any friends. Conner Bailey is a boy, falls asleep in class, gets very low grades for school, but is one of the most popular kids in the entire school.
One day, their grandma gives them a book full of fairy tales called ‘The Land Of Stories.’ The book starts to hum and glow, and Alex discovers that the book is a portal. Several weeks after they first received the book, Alex and Conner fall through the book into a densely wooded land. Soon afterwards, they find out that the world they land in is called The Land Of Stories, and has all of the characters in all of the fairy tales living inside it. Goldilocks is an outlaw on the run, Queen Red Riding Hood is in love with Jack the giant slayer, and the descendants of the Big Bad Wolf roam around, terrorising villages.
Alex and Conner discover that if they ever want to go back home, they must find an impossible to obtain series of objects all throughout the land and when placed close together, will make a spell that grants any wish, no matter how crazy.
Unfortunately for them, Queen Snow White’s evil stepmother is on the loose and would kill them for the spell.
Chris Colfer has been very clever with the suspense, family relations and the characters that he has given this book.
It is very likely that you will find this booking a council library. The first time I read tis book, I borrowed it from a library.
I would recommed The Land of Stories; The Wishing Spell for children in Year 5 to Year 12.