juicelina's review against another edition
4.0
This a really cute kid's series and a super quick read. I love fairytale retellings and this series does them really well. Can't wait to read the next one!
tfarfan's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mbarkley's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
teganbeese's review against another edition
5.0
I think this one is one of my favorites! Very clever! Looking forward to the next one.
jilljemmett's review against another edition
5.0
This story is a little different from the others in the series. In each book, Abby and Jonah travel to a fairy tale. They end up messing up the ending in some way, such as preventing Sleeping Beauty from falling asleep. However, in this one, they intentionally try to change the ending.
In the original story of the frog prince, the princess is so mean that she throws the frog against a wall which makes him turn back into a prince. Abby didn’t want this frog prince to have the same fate, so she stops the princess from rescuing him, and instead tries to change him back into a human. This doesn’t end as she planned, when it turns out that the prince is actually evil!
Abby was able to apply what she learned about the mean prince in the fairy tale to her real bully at school. This shows that kids can learn things from fairy tales, even if they aren’t set in real life.
I love this series! I can’t wait to read the next one which is based on Aladdin!
In the original story of the frog prince, the princess is so mean that she throws the frog against a wall which makes him turn back into a prince. Abby didn’t want this frog prince to have the same fate, so she stops the princess from rescuing him, and instead tries to change him back into a human. This doesn’t end as she planned, when it turns out that the prince is actually evil!
Abby was able to apply what she learned about the mean prince in the fairy tale to her real bully at school. This shows that kids can learn things from fairy tales, even if they aren’t set in real life.
I love this series! I can’t wait to read the next one which is based on Aladdin!
raben_76325's review against another edition
4.0
Abby and Jonah have promised their parents that they wouldn't play in the basement at night, but they have burning questions to ask Maryrose, their home's magic mirror. So one night, they sneak into the basement, knock on the mirror and find themselves once again sucked into fairy tale land.
They seem to have found them selves in the story of The Frog Prince, with a talking frog for a companion and a mean princess who refuses to help change the frog back into a prince. But, appearances aren't what they seem, and soon they find themselves questioning their first impressions of the land.
My children are very fond of these Whatever After books, and they are the kind of books that they would usually read independently. However, we started reading the Whatever After books long before any of my children were independent readers, so we still continue to read them together for fun.
Abby and Jonah's continued deception of their parents irks me as a parent, but when they tried to come clean with their parents a few books ago, Maryrose removed their parents' memories of their knowledge of fairy tale lands. They continue to trust Maryrose and see her as a good guy, and I suppose from the evidence of the books that she is. However, because of the prevalence of "bad guys" in the world, I do not like the idea of someone (even a magic mirror) making sure that Abby and Jonah conceal their actions from their parents.
Beyond that, these stories are silly and harmless enough. Jonah and Abby always mess up the fairy tale, and they always have to figure out how to reach a happy ending before they can come home. They usually find that the happy ending that they reach is not the traditional storybook ending, but everyone ends up happy anyway.
Even better, Abby usually finds some sort of life lesson in the fairy tale to help her in real life. In this book, the message is one of the pain that is often behind the actions of a bully. It's not a deep lesson, but I think it is one that many children can relate to.
They seem to have found them selves in the story of The Frog Prince, with a talking frog for a companion and a mean princess who refuses to help change the frog back into a prince. But, appearances aren't what they seem, and soon they find themselves questioning their first impressions of the land.
My children are very fond of these Whatever After books, and they are the kind of books that they would usually read independently. However, we started reading the Whatever After books long before any of my children were independent readers, so we still continue to read them together for fun.
Abby and Jonah's continued deception of their parents irks me as a parent, but when they tried to come clean with their parents a few books ago, Maryrose removed their parents' memories of their knowledge of fairy tale lands. They continue to trust Maryrose and see her as a good guy, and I suppose from the evidence of the books that she is. However, because of the prevalence of "bad guys" in the world, I do not like the idea of someone (even a magic mirror) making sure that Abby and Jonah conceal their actions from their parents.
Beyond that, these stories are silly and harmless enough. Jonah and Abby always mess up the fairy tale, and they always have to figure out how to reach a happy ending before they can come home. They usually find that the happy ending that they reach is not the traditional storybook ending, but everyone ends up happy anyway.
Even better, Abby usually finds some sort of life lesson in the fairy tale to help her in real life. In this book, the message is one of the pain that is often behind the actions of a bully. It's not a deep lesson, but I think it is one that many children can relate to.
cillabrarian's review against another edition
4.0
I love this series!!! This one is a twisted version of The Frog Prince, and had me laughing the entire time. The twist near the end threw me for a loop!! Middle grade readers and fans of princess Tiana will enjoy this book.
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