By: Nora Warner
Photo: Hachette Book Group
The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell is a best-selling fantasy and adventure book by Chris Colfer. It is the first in a six-book series. There is also a prequel trilogy. The story follows twins Alex and Connor Bailey who, after the tragic death of their father, are gifted a magical fairy-tale book by their grandmother, but soon after looking through the book, they accidentally fall in. After entering the book, they learn that all of the classic fairy tales they once loved, have continued in the fairy-tale world. Desperate to get back home, the twins must collect ingredients to create the wishing spell, a charm that will grant any wish. On their journey, they’ll learn more about each other and their mysterious family.
The Wishing Spell is a classic twist on a fairytale. If you enjoyed last year’s WAHS Players’ musical Into the Woods, you’ll enjoy this book too. While intended for middle to younger readers, as the series progresses, so does the complexity and intensity of the book. Don’t let the childhood stories in this book stop you from reading it, though. The book includes lots of deep messaging and incorporates storytelling history into the book.
This book is one of my favorite series to read when I was younger, but it is an interesting read at any age. This would be a perfect book to read with younger family members or as a lighter but still engaging way to get back into reading yourself.
