The Wishing Spell
by Chris Colfer · The Land of Stories
A magical quest through reimagined fairy tales that teaches kids villains have backstories too
Kid
67
/ 100
Parent
60
/ 100
Teacher
65
/ 100
Best fit: ages 9-11
Still works: ages 8-13
Our Take
Entertainment-first fantasy that kids love for its world-building and adventure, with solid teaching value through fairy-tale curriculum connections and moral discussion, but moderate literary depth limits parent enthusiasm.
✓ Perfect for
- • Kids who love fairy tales and want to see them reimagined
- • Readers looking for adventure with emotional depth
- • Children ready for moral complexity beyond simple good-vs-evil
- • Fans of portal fantasy who enjoy world-building
Book facts
- Format
- middle grade novel
- ISBN
- 9780316201568
- Series
- The Land of Stories
- Illustration
- sparse
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