Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy

Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy

Melissa de la Cruz

Roaring Book, December, 2020 336 pages

Grades 4-7

Fantasy/Fairy Tale

Never After series #1

Filomena has always felt different. She is constantly bullied in school by a group of rich kids, whom she refers to as the Fettuccine Alfredos, and her only friend has deserted her. Filomena holds onto the one true constant in her life: the book series The Thirteenth Fairy. The thirteenth installment is due for release, yet suddenly, it is announced that a mistake was made and the author has disappeared without writing it. Huh? What a disappointment! After reeling from the news, Filomena bumps into a boy who claims to be Jack Stalker, the main character from the series. He and his sidekick transport her to the magical land in which the series is set and she must help them to defend the land against the evil queen. Meanwhile, the backstory is revealed of the curse placed upon Sleeping Beauty by the "evil" fairy. How does this story connect with Filomena? All is revealed as Filomena delves into the world of fairy tales, discovering that they are, in actuality, not what she once thought, and finding her true identity and some new friends in the process.

 The author of The Decendants series, as well as other bestselling novels for both kids and teens, de la Cruz offers a new series opener for middle grade, perfect for her Decendants fans, as well as The Land of Stories. Famous fairy tale characters are re-imagined and updated in a Shrek-esque manner that will appeal to today's kids. Readers will identify with Filomena and her struggle to fit in, as well as the way her books are her friends. The fairy tale world is quirky, fully realized, and a lot of fun. Readers will wish for their own journey into such a place and their imaginations will be sparked. Beyond the fantasy element and adventure, as Filomena and her friends battle trolls, ogres, and evil witches, there is a lot of humor in the pages and I found myself laughing more than once out loud. De la Cruz offers interesting plot twists and seemingly mild characters rise to the occasion in triumphant ways. Not just for fantasy lovers, give this book to kids looking for a fun, light read that will make their imaginations soar. The ending indicates that a new adventure awaits for the gang-yet to be announced.