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A review by the_weirdling
The Storybook of Legends by Shannon Hale
3.0
I read this book with my 9 year old daughter. It is perfect reading if your little one enjoys the Ever After High world.
I liked it more than I thought I would. I will admit that getting into it was a bit of a struggle. That probably has about 90% to do with me being a 43 year old man. Let's face it, I am not their target audience. I was sold by the end of the novel, however. I enjoy the constant struggle with "big questions". That's not something you usually see in a lot of children's books based on merchandise related tv shows.
The book is predicated on the relationship of Raven Queen and Apple White, respectively the daughters of the Evil Queen and Snow White. They are destined to repeat their parents' roles. Raven, however, does not want to be evil. She is repulsed by evil. She wants, in stead, to carve out her own path in life. The plot revolves around their quest, as friends who are destined to be enemies, to figure out if choice is even an option.
To be honest, this isn't a book I would ever read myself. But reading it with my 9 yr old daughter was enjoyable. I liked how she got into the conflict, made connections with fairy tales she knows and doesn't know, taught me about a show she really enjoys, and the discussions we had about whether choice was a real thing or not. And if choice is option, whether it is better to surrender to the certainty of destiny (even if it isn't all that great) or opt for a life of choices which could go any conceivable way.
If your little monkey is into Ever After High, the books are worth it. Not just because they are better written than expected, but because they bring up interesting conversations with your little one and also (and here is the endgame, folks) it will help encourage a lifelong love of learning.
I liked it more than I thought I would. I will admit that getting into it was a bit of a struggle. That probably has about 90% to do with me being a 43 year old man. Let's face it, I am not their target audience. I was sold by the end of the novel, however. I enjoy the constant struggle with "big questions". That's not something you usually see in a lot of children's books based on merchandise related tv shows.
The book is predicated on the relationship of Raven Queen and Apple White, respectively the daughters of the Evil Queen and Snow White. They are destined to repeat their parents' roles. Raven, however, does not want to be evil. She is repulsed by evil. She wants, in stead, to carve out her own path in life. The plot revolves around their quest, as friends who are destined to be enemies, to figure out if choice is even an option.
To be honest, this isn't a book I would ever read myself. But reading it with my 9 yr old daughter was enjoyable. I liked how she got into the conflict, made connections with fairy tales she knows and doesn't know, taught me about a show she really enjoys, and the discussions we had about whether choice was a real thing or not. And if choice is option, whether it is better to surrender to the certainty of destiny (even if it isn't all that great) or opt for a life of choices which could go any conceivable way.
If your little monkey is into Ever After High, the books are worth it. Not just because they are better written than expected, but because they bring up interesting conversations with your little one and also (and here is the endgame, folks) it will help encourage a lifelong love of learning.