E. D. Baker (1)

Living in the Enchanted Forest, the eponymous Maggie is always seeing magical creatures of various kinds. Unfortunately, her new stepmother Zelia and her step-brother Peter cannot also see them, and believe that Maggie is lying about them. When Maggie injures a tiny winged horse, she therefore doesn't turn to her family for help, instead setting off to find Bob the Stableman, a caretaker of fantastic animals once mentioned by her grandmother...

Having read and enjoyed a few of E.D. Baker's show more middle-grade fantasy novels a few years back, I was curious to see what she would do with this simple, beginning chapter-book series about a girl who rescues magical creatures. This seems to be a popular idea right now, to judge from Paula Harrison's The Secret Rescuers series, written for a similar age group, and Adams Gidwitz's Unicorn Rescue Society books, which are aimed at slightly older readers. However that may be, I picked up Maggie and the Flying Horse with some anticipation, given my familiarity with the author. Unfortunately, I found it rather pedestrian, and didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I had hoped to. I don't read as many beginning chapter-books as I feel that I should, for work - something I hope to remedy, over the coming months - so at first I wondered whether the story simply wasn't complex enough to engage me. As a prolific picture-book reader however, one who often enjoys books with a very spare text, I suspect that this is simply not the case. I think the real problem here is twofold: first, Baker relies too heavily on stock characters like the wicked stepmother and the kindly stable hand, leading to a story where the cast all feel like types, rather than people, and are curiously unsympathetic. Second, Maggie encounters so many fantastic creatures over the course of the story, many of them only briefly described, that these meetings simply don't feel magical. There's no sense of enchantment here, no sense that something wondrous is occurring.

Despite this lukewarm reaction on my part, I do intend to continue with the Magic Animal Rescue series, as I have all four volumes checked out right now, and because (as mentioned) I want to increase my familiarity with books intended for this audience. Perhaps they improve, as one proceeds. show less

E. D. Baker is the queen of fractured fairy tale fantasies, in my opinion. Her books are always funny and if they sometimes have anachronistic language or thoughts, that's ok. This is her best book yet and I was completely enthralled with it.

Twelve-year-old Serafina lives in a fantasy medieval world. She's pretty satisfied with her life; she knows that in a few years she'll marry her childhood friend, Alek, she loves her family, and she's happy in their simple home in the town. Then she show more receives a mysterious letter from a great-aunt she never knew she had and travels to a nearby village to find out what her hinted-at inheritance is.

Turns out, she's the new Baba Yaga. Serafina is at turns terrified, angry and bewildered. Eventually, she figures out some of how the magic works. As the new Baba Yaga, she must answer the first question of anyone who asks. The magic lets her always give the right answer, but she can't choose the question and she can never answer more than one. Every question makes her older. Serafina starts to see that there's a wider world than she ever knew. She meets magical creatures and powerful people, makes new friends, and flees from dangerous enemies. Through it all, however, she never stops trying to get back to Alek and her home.

There are so many things I love about this story...Serafina is a practical, do-it-yourself kind of girl. When she realizes she's trapped, she does everything she can to find a solution and get back to her home, but she also enjoys the new things she's learning, seeing, and doing. When she finally runs out of resources, she's not afraid to ask for help and depend on her family. Her romance with Alek is just perfect. Although her age may put some people off, it's appropriate for the medieval-type world she lives in. Her interactions with Alek are perfect for the middle grade crowd, focusing on their friendship and strong love for each other. There's enough to give readers a little dreamy thrill, but nothing inappropriate and I loved the way Serafina realizes that her tribulations and experiences have given her a new appreciation for Alek and her home. I also loved that Serafina, while she did her best in her job to help people, never succumbed to "I am the chosen one who must save the world" fantasy tropes. War is shown as a messy, painful thing where everyone suffers and there aren't always good people just waiting to help out Serafina when she gets into trouble. People are just...people. Weird, good, bad, and sometimes upset at what she says, even when it's the Baba Yaga and not herself talking. As always, E. D. Baker is funny, thoughtful, and writes a story that hangs together well and is will catch the attention of the average middle grade reader.

Verdict: Hand this to all your fantasy-loving kids who like adventure, magical creatures, a spunky heroine and a little romance. Definitely recommend.

ISBN: 9781599908557; Published October 2013 by Bloomsbury; ARC provided by publisher at ALA Annual 2013; Added to the library's order list show less

I admit, I was not enthusiastic about reading this book. I really liked the first couple Frog Princess books, but sort of lost interest in the series around the fourth book (that happens to me frequently - no reflection on the series, which I just purchased for our library!). But while I was still interested in the series, I automatically added Wings to my to read list. Somehow, it stayed on there despite various reviews which said it was, well, too sweet. And I decided just to skim it show more quickly...

I loved it! Yes, it's a "happy" story. There's tension, confusion, some painful scenes, some betrayal. But in the end, it's happy. Yes, there are little dancing fairies. Yes, the main character is the daughter of...well, we'll let you figure it out. But I liked it! The characters fit well into the plot and acted in accordance with their roles. I especially felt the descriptions of the wings and trying them out were well-drawn. And there's plenty of tension left over for me to want another book right now! But apparently the next book in this trilogy won't be out for a while.

Verdict: This book is for those little girls who've grown out of their fairy series but still like sparkly wings and fairy dancing. For those who like adventure with a happy ending. And for those who don't feel like they belong anywhere. Plus, the lamias were really funny!

ISBN: 978-1599901930; Published April 2008 by Bloomsbury; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library show less

Would it surprise you if I told you that I read this just because I felt like it? No? Good. That means you know my reading style well! I love Middle Grade, I love fairy tales, and I can't resist anything that has a princess involved, so this book was something perfect for a quick read.

I loved the fact that Princess Emeralda was a "I can do it myself" kind of girl, and that situations allowed her to do just that. I also very much appreciated the adorable twist that E.D. Baker put on the whole show more frog prince story, while still staying true to the feeling of the original. This was a sweet, quick read that was a lot of fun to listen to. It was just exciting enough, without being too scary, and actually really well paced. It helps, of course, that Katherine Kellgren narrates this audio book. I adore her voice, and this was no exception.

To the surprise of no one, I didn't really love the prince. He was whiny, mostly self-centered, and rough to like. I suppose it was good that he was though, because his inability to really be front and center during any big moments made Emeralda shine! Still, that meant the romance didn't really work out for me, even though I knew it was the whole point of this fairy tale. I know this is Middle Grade, but I still maintain that a princess has every right to be picky! No one wants a whiny prince. *wink*

Overall, this was a cute read with a lot of fun parts in it. This would be excellent for a bedtime read between parents and their kids! show less