Such a clever story. The Magic Treehouse (for a slightly older set) meets Quantum Leap. Well beyond a simple twist on a classic fairy tale, the author pulls together multiple twists and leaves the original tale all the better for it. In this story, it’s not enough for sister/brother team Abby and Jonah to repair the classic adventures of Cinderella when their arrival inadvertently sends everything sideways. By the time they’re finished, Cinderella has transformed herself from damsel in distress to self-reliant entrepreneur, and at least one step-sister has a change of heart. The dialog is chuckle-filled and the ending wonderfully surprising. ( )

This review was originally posted on my blog

Another cute retelling of a fairy tale by Sarah Mlynowski. For some reason, I didn’t like it quite as much as Fairest of All, but I still thought it was pretty good.

This book starts with Abby and Jonah actually trying to get through the mirror again. They try several times, with nothing happening. When the mirror finally does work, it is under amusing circumstances. This time, the siblings are brought into Cinderella’s story, right in the middle of the ball. They follow her home, and that’s where the story starts to change from the original fairy tale.

Abby and Jonah were amusing as usual. But for some reason, I just didn’t really like Cinderella. There were even some comments that Abby made about her seeming mean, and I totally agreed. The fairy godmother was a little strange, too.

The ending was just weird. I liked the slight twist in Fairest of All, but I felt that there was too much changed in this one.

Overall, I did really like this story, and I thought that it was a cute, quick read. I really like how Sarah Mlynowski is able to reinvent the fairy tales that most of us have grown up with, but I just didn’t find If the Shoe Fits to be quite as enjoyable as Fairest of All. I liked it enough to read the next book in the series anyway, but after finding out that it’s going to be The Little Mermaid, I’m really excited! ( )

The Good Stuff

Great opening paragraph - the type of book that will hook the reader away
Quirky fun humour
Fast paced, even the most reluctant of readers will not get bored
Likeable heroine that will appeal to the middle school girl
Nice messages about not needing a prince to save you
Nice development in the story - just a little bit of information to keep you interested and wondering what is going to happen next
a fun twist on the fractured fairy tale genre

The Not So Good Stuff

Come on - throw me a bone here - need to know more about Maryrose

Favorite Quotes/Passages

"I have a magic mirror in my basement and I'm going to use it."

"How comes the mother always dies in fairy tale?" (Jen's Note: I've been asking this for decades!)

"Yikes. Even if my parents never bother using it. I have never felt more thankful for our washer and dryer in my entire life."

Who Should/Shouldn't Read

Perfect series for reluctant middle school girl readers
Fans of Meg Cabot's middle school books will adore this series
Those who enjoy strong girl characters who don't need a boy

4 Dewey's

I received this from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review ( )

Girls who aren’t really over Cinderella and other fairy tales but don’t want to admit it can happily read the Whatever After series without being embarrassed. Abby and her younger brother Jonah discover a magic mirror in their new house, and in this story it takes them to Floom and the ball where Cinderella and her prince meet. Abby’s thrilled to see it all in real life, but she and Jonah manage to change the story when they startle Cinderella, who injures her foot dropping the glass slipper on it. When her Fairy Godmother is summoned to fix things, she says she’ll do it only after Cinderella becomes more proactive. After a few false starts they realize that Cinderella can start a business with her baking skills. The book ends happily ever after even though Cinderella doesn’t end up marrying the prince! Just enough sass to make readers feel grown up, enough fairy tale to satisfy the little girl in them, and enough of an empowerment message to help them navigate growing up today. ( )

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