**Fairy tales are just the beginning.

** The Masked Man is on the loose in the Land of Stories, and it's up to Alex and Conner Bailey to stop him...except Alex has been thrown off the Fairy Council, and no one will believe they're in danger.

With only the help of the ragtag group of Goldilocks, Jack, Red Riding Hood, and Mother Goose and her gander, Lester, the Bailey twins discover the Masked Man's secret scheme: He possesses a powerful magic potion that turns every book it touches into a portal, and he is recruiting an army of literature's greatest villains!

So begins a race through the magical Land of Oz, the fantastical world of Neverland, the madness of Wonderland, and beyond. Can Alex and Conner catch up to the Masked Man, or will they be one step behind until it's too late?

Fairy tales and classic stories collide in the fourth adventure in the bestselling Land of Stories series as the twins travel beyond the kingdoms!

**

From School Library Journal

Gr 3–7—Twins Alex and Connor, along with Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Mother Goose, and other characters chase a masked man—the twins' uncle—into stories such as The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland. He is always a step ahead and bargains for troops to take over the kingdoms in the fairy world. Alex and Connor wind up separated in the stories of King Arthur and Robin Hood, needing to create a potion and get back to Oz. Peter Pan and the Tin Woodman join the adventures. Several subplots add depth to the narration—a girl finding genetic links to Wilhelm Grimm, Red Riding Hood marrying the Frog Prince, and a witch who takes life's energy from children. Colfer's narration is excellent, giving different voices to the many characters and keeping the pace of the rollicking story moving. VERDICT Adults will appreciate references to Hans Christian Andersen and other classic tales, while children will just appreciate good stories on their own terms.—Debbie Whitbeck, formerly of West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI

Review

Children will engage with Colfer's bubbly writing style and become hooked on the characters and lost in their adventures. This genre of writing never loses its charm, and in The Land of Stories, Colfer has secured the following of a new generation of fairytale fans. * Teaching English (Primary Matters) *