The Wishing Spell

Chris Colfer’s “The Wishing Spell” starts the Land of Stories series off with a bang. Twins Conner and Alex Bailey are transported via magical fairy tale book into another universe where fairy tales are real. They must collect the necessary items for the Wishing Spell to get home, on the way encountering fairy tale characters and creatures alike, including the Evil Queen, who is trying to collect the items before them. This is a magical book that draws readers into the story and makes fairy tales seem real, and it’s definitely a must-read. The Land of Stories Series is funny, imaginative, and perfectly captures the Harry Potter-esque feeling of a world without limits. Kids who liked “The Wishing Spell” will be glad to hear there are five other books in the Land of Stories series, including “The Enchantress Returns” and “A Grimm Warning,” as well as a prequel series following a different character that begins with “A Tale of Magic.”