I love this series. Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams are amazing at fracturing myths and legends. This is no exception to that. The Grimmtastic Girls series takes on fairytale characters, writing lighthearted mysteries about the current nefarious plans the E.V.I.L. society is up to. Using the framework of the myths we know and love, Holub and Williams, twist these into tween friendly novels emphasising friendship and family.

Cinderella Stays Late introduces the fairytale gang attending Grimm Academy. Cinda is the new girl at school. She's nervous about starting at the Academy and unfortunately her stepsisters do their best to mislead her with what the school is like, how she should act and what the classes actually consist of. Thankfully, she quickly meets some great new friends, Red, Snow and Rapunzel - even if the Balls class she's taking isn't the sports class she wanted but is actually dancing. Cute little story. I liked the characters, plot was a bit thin. Amusing enough. Target audience would be 3.5 stars. Own rating, 3. ( )

*I received a copy of this book in the Goodreads first reads giveaway program*

I've been a fan of Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams for awhile now. Their Goddess Girls series is so delightful I buy it for my niece on every occasion (she loves them)! So when I saw their new foray into middle grade lit, this time with a fairy tale spin on it, I definitely wanted to read it. I can safely say that this is another fabulous world they've created, and fans of Goddess Girls are sure to love this new series.

Grimmlandia is a place where all the people from fairy tales live. Cinderella is starting her first day at Grimm Academy, and she's very nervous. Her two older stepsisters are mean and making everything hard for Cinderella. But Cinder makes three new girlfriends; Red, Snow and Rapunzel. Together they try to figure out what the Steps are plotting before it ruins Prince Awesome's ball.

The story reminded me a bit of [b:The School for Good and Evil|16248113|The School for Good and Evil (The School for Good and Evil, #1)|Soman Chainani|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1369559695s/16248113.jpg|21599439], but for a younger audience. There were heroes and villains, and a lot of references to the original stories by the Grimm brothers (also included were Hans Christian Anderson and Charles Perrault). I liked how Cinderella was timid, but in the end she stuck up for herself and did the right thing. The story is very easy to follow and it's length is good for that age group (4-6). I'm definitely going to buy these books for my niece and recommend them to others! If you like good stories and fairy tales, you'll love this book. ( )

What an AMAZINGLY DARLING story!
LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. IT!

Cinderella, or Cinda as she likes to be called, has just started Grimm Academy.

She finds herself enjoying school thanks to her new friends, Red, Snow, and Rapunzel...

But her stepsisters are doing everything they can think of to get Cinda kicked out.

"When Cinda overhears the Steps plotting a villainous deed that could ruin Prince Awesome's ball, Cinda, her new friends, and a pair of magical glass slippers have to stop them."

Can they do it before the clock strikes twelve?

FUN BOOK!
CUTE READ!

A NEW TWIST ON A BELOVED FAIRY TALE. ( )

I read the first two books in this series aloud to my toddler before bedtime, and during our downtime. She seemed to enjoy listening to Cinda's struggle with her mean Steps at Grimm Academy and Red's troubles with the E.V.I.L Society.

I liked a few things about this series. To start, it took me back to my own childhood. There are some similar (though not nearly as "grimmtastic") series that popped into mind for me right away when I started reading. I always liked the authors that could make you feel like you were somewhere different, and Grimmlandia certainly carried me away to an imaginative place.

I thought that the conflicts and solutions were well presented in both books for the age group it was written for. I also thought it was incredibly neat that the authors co-wrote this book from so far away.

I can see these books being fun to read with my niece, who is a little older and would probably take more away from the story. After reading through the first two books in the Grimmtastic Girls series, I am excited to see what happens next for them and which character the next book focuses on. ( )

Cinderella Stays Late is the first novel in the Grimmtastic Girls series by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams. It is a charming and delightful twist on Cinderella's fairy tale for middle grade readers, ages 8-12. This is an excellent story to share with your child due to the number of references to fairy tales and key authors of children's literature such as the Brothers Grimm, Perrault, and Anderson. This is a PERFECT springboard into teaching kids about the classics — and teaching kids was the point of these classic children's tales in the first place!

I loved all the fairy tale allusions in this book. For example, Cinda's father repairs bridges and he's currently repairing London Bridges, which are falling down. And then there's the school secretary, Ms. Jabberwocky, who breathes fire and speaks nonsense, but after a while, the nonsense starts to make sense (I LOVED seeing some Lewis Carroll!).

Holub further engages the reader's interest by adding her own unique twist on Cinderella's story. Her stepsisters (aka the Steps) use Cinderella to get the prince to fall in LIKE with them —like not love — a very age-appropriate amendment. This story is about Cinderella going to the school ball to figure out what evil scheme the Steps are plotting, and to make sure that good wins out. However, kids will still find some of the classic elements in the story, such as the glass slipper, the magic wand, the ball, the concept of "until midnight", and more.

Furthermore, Cinderella Stays Late is an extremely relatable story. Cinda is the new girl at school, she doesn't have pretty dresses, she prefers sports over girly activities like dancing, she's teased, and she comes from a fractured family. Young readers can dive into the story for the magic and fairy tale characters, but they can also find themselves in Cinderella's insecurities and flaws, and in her hopes and dreams.

I'm still surprised by how much I love this book. It's engaging on so many levels and is an easy, light, and sweet happily-ever-after. Cinda has some unanswered questions at the end that leave the reader to think about and decide. For example, Cinderella wonders if the prince likes her. But even with all the questions Cinderella has, as with every fairy tale, there is a morale that young and impressionable girls will benefit from hearing.

There are more important things in life than worrying over whether or not a boy likes you — being yourself, school, friends, and above all, making sure good wins over evil.

4 Stars ( )