The Stolen Slipper (Once Upon a Fairy Tale #2)

Gr 1-3--Kara and her partner Zed are back in this magical mystery series inspired by classic fairy tales. In their second adventure, the two must aid the Prince in retrieving a missing glass slipper so that he can find the love of his life. Adventure abounds as the two detectives not only find the magical item, but uncover a secret about the kingdom in the process. The mystery, like the story overall, is simple, but a few twists are tossed in to throw readers off the scent. In typical "Branches" fashion, word choice and sentence structure are perfectly selected for the intended audience, and serve as a wonderful primer for more advanced chapter books. A plethora of pictures helps visualize the story and break up the text; artist Pamintuan depicts a variety of ethnicities among the characters, an excellent choice considering fantasy books often lack characters of color. VERDICT A joyful blend of mystery and fantasy, and another solid series installment by "Branches."--Peter Blenski, Hartland Public Library, WI

"A funny, fast-paced novel of magical mayhem."- Discovery Girls Magazine