Tales from the Hood

Hmmm...this one was...interesting. The last two books have explored parallels between the Scarlet Hand (an underground, then not-so-underground group of Everafters) and Nazis, with mortal humans standing in for Jews and other "undesirables." One of our greatest recent atrocities is certainly something we want kids to know about in order to make sure history does not repeat itself, but it's still interesting to me how many kids' series use this angle: Harry Potter & Gregor the Overlander are the two that immediately spring to mind.

But in this one, we learn that insanity can be blown out of someone with a magical kazoo, which I find troubling. The twist on Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf was interesting, but one I'm really going to show more need to discuss with my sons. While we're all glad that Mr. Canis and Red Riding Hood are moving forward, I don't want them to think mental illness is something that can be magically whisked away. show less

Despite their many problems (including the fact that their parents are under a sleeping spell) Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are growing up. Sabrina, despite herself, is becoming a girly girl and Daphne is starting to imitate Sabrina. In a way, this is a welcome diversion for the girls as their grandmother's best friend, Mr. Canis, is on trial for crimes he committed while he was the Big Bad Wolf. The Grimms have very good reasons to fear Mr. Canis will not have a fair trial, but do everything they can to help him, including trying to find out what really happened to Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother. What they discover will surprise all of them - even Mr. Canis.

"Tales from the Hood" is the wickedly funny sixth book in Michael show more Buckley's The Sisters Grimm fantasy series. The series is set in Ferryport Landing where fairy tale and other fantasy characters such as the Queen of Hearts, Robin Hood, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, and others live. Buckley has a lot of fun turning the fairy tale world inside out for better or for worse (especially the Wizard of Oz series - he does a number on the Scarecrow in this book) and creates a world in which the Queen of Hearts is mayor and the Sheriff of Nottingham is, well the Sheriff. All of the regular characters in the series are maturing as the series goes along, especially Sabrina and Daphne and Mr. Canis - whose back-story is finally reviewed in the book and it is a good one. While the book is aimed at children, readers of all ages will enjoy it - adults will love the way Buckley skews the fairytale and fantasy characters. And without revealing too much, the courtroom scenes are some of the funniest scenes in that setting I've ever read - Buckley's choice of judge is inspired. The book ends on a cliffhanger that left me anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.

"Tales from the Hood" is a great entry in a wonderful fantasy series. show less

The main plot of Tales From the Hood, the sixth book in the Sisters Grimm series, is the trial of Mr. Canis for the Big Bad Wolf's murder of Red Riding Hood's grandmother. Bluebeard is the prosecutor. The Mad Hatter is the judge. The Sherwood Group layers are the defense attorneys - not that they're being allowed to conduct a proper defense.

We get to see insane Little Red Riding Hood, the villain of book three, The Problem Child again. Nurse Sprat (yes, Jack Sprat's wife) is terrified of her, and no wonder. Still, aside from Horace Hatchett, whose bragging testimony as the heroic woodsman who saved Red Riding Hood (and, of course, the Big Bad Wolf), she's the only one alive who was there that day.
Well, that's what was thought. It turns show more out the fairy tale left out the other woodcutter, Tobias Clay. In fact, the real story is even more interesting than the classic version.

We also learn what the weapon is that lies in the safety deposit box to which Daphne has the key. It's the reason that Mr. Canis came to exist fifteen years ago.

A subplot is finding Goldilocks so her kiss can wake up Henry Grimm. That leads to some excitement in Venice and Paris.

Puck's security system for the family now that Canis is in jail provides several comic moments. His solution to Sabrina sneaking out at night was not particularly well thought out.

Jake Grimm and Briar Rose's romance is still going strong, although all is not well with the marriage of Beauty and the Beast. Belle turns out to have an interesting power not mentioned in her fairy tale. She also has sense enough to realize that the aims of the Scarlet Hand is the same nonsense that got the barrier around Ferryport Landing erected in the first place.

Sabrina and Daphne have a falling out that is all Sabrina's fault. Can the elder sister Grimm win back the younger's respect?

Things are getting even more dangerous for the Fairy Tale Detectives. What will the next book bring? show less

I breathed a sigh of relief after reading this book and finding it agreeably similar to the first entries in the series. All long-running book series have the possibility of dipping into lulls, and the question is whether the series will pull out of the slump or not. Book five was a letdown for me, but this new entry brushed all those disappointments away like flimsy cobwebs.

(warning, spoilers ahead ...)
Sabrina and Daphne are closer than ever to waking their sleeping parents, but the trouble in town is bigger than ever, too, with the Scarlet Hand out in the open. They've driven every other human family away; only the Grimms are left. And Mayor Heart and Sheriff Nottingham are determined to finish them off, as well. The mystery of this show more book focuses on the real story of the Big Bad Wolf, since Mr. Canis (a.k.a. the big baddy) is on trial for his crimes. The girls join up with some new ever afters - Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men, and hooray for that, because Robin Hood is a great character. Plus, we have Nottingham, so it's only natural that his archenemy would be fighting against him. Jake is still dating Briar Rose, and the uncle and nieces are pursuing Goldilocks, the key to waking their parents, across Paris. A rum adventure all around.

I do love fairy tale re-tellings when they have a life of their own and reinvent the characters in a believable way, and Buckley's concept is fresh and fun. He uses a large variety of fairy tales; I'm always interested to see who will pop up next. Watching them in a contemporary setting is a fun retake on old favorites. This series is like the Fables series, but at a maturity level suited for children. Also, the main characters, Sabrina and Daphne, are evolving as the series progresses, and I love Puck, love him, love him. Him and Sabrina are so cute. I snatch these books up as soon as the newest one comes out, and my hopes were greatly rewarded this time around. show less

When a kangaroo court of Everafters, led by Judge Mad Hatter, tries Mr. Canis for his past crimes as the Big Bad Wolf, the Grimms seek evidence to save their friend, although Sabrina questions whether he should be saved.

I've been reading these books for a while and they are truly charming. As the series progresses they've gotten a bit darker and more serious, but not in that fake and creepy that the Harry Potter ones did, at least in my heretical opinion. The girls' problems have become progressively more complicated in plausible (well, as plausible as can be in a pretty fantastical series) way. Definitely fun books for middle school kids and adults who like funky kid's fantasy.

I particularly liked Mr. Canis and Red Riding Hood in this book. Sabrina annoys me at this point. Like the others, they're enjoyable, but not ones i'll read again. They might be good to have in my classroom someday, though.

*Review written on September 1, 2014.*