Mihi Ever After, Book 1
By Mary Eisenhart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Lively fantasy spotlights diversity, busts stereotypes.
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What's the Story?
MIHI EVER AFTER is the tale of Mihi Whan Park, who's having a really bad day, starting with her thinking the birds at her family's animal rescue would be happier out of their cages (they weren't). At school, she just wants to play princesses, like always, with her best friend Genevieve, only to be told by her blond, pretty, about-to-be-ex-BFF that princesses are for babies and besides Mihi's not really the princess type and maybe she should go play ninjas with the other Asian girls instead. Things go downhill from there, and Mihi soon finds herself once again in Indoor Recess (sorta like detention), where for once she's not by herself. There's Reese, Black, brilliant, and falsely accused of theft by a teacher, and Samantha, white, shy, and creative, who's only there for the peace and quiet. The girls immediately bond over their mutual determination to be princesses -- so when they discover a portal to the fairy tale world in the librarian's office off they go. Only to discover things aren't quite what they expected.
"Bertha's gaze was cold. 'There is no ruling kingdoms here. The stories are already written, and people live by them.'
"Mihi frowned. 'But what happens when ... problems come up? Shouldn't someone try to fix them?'
"'In a happily ever after, there are no problems.'
"'Oh. Right.' Mihi tried to picture it. A world without problems. No pet chaos. No trips to the principal's office. No Genevieves. No wondering if she'd ever fit in anywhere. 'I guess that does sound nice.'"
Is It Any Good?
Girl power, stereotype-busting, and diversity rule the day as three would-be princesses from our world venture into the fairy tale world in this lively fantasy. As Mihi Ever After unfolds, they find the world of happily-ever-after isn't quite what they dreamed of, and it's actually more about sticking to the script than living your dreams. The three friends are hard-pressed to save themselves and also rescue Sleeping Beauty from a fate she doesn't want one bit, so there's never a dull moment. Lots of relatable ones, though, as good intentions sometimes turn out badly, things go wrong, amends must be made, and forgiveness given -- especially since Book 2 is waiting in the wings.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Mihi Ever After has characters dealing with stereotypes, especially when they can't do what they want because someone else has decided they're "not the type." How does this kind of prejudice affect the characters? Do they find a way to work around it, or does it keep getting in their way?
Fairy tales seem to inspire a lot of alternative versions. What other stories do you know that involve fairy tale characters, especially after they're (supposedly) living happily ever after?
Mihi misses tasty Korean dishes so much while she's away from our world. What food would you miss if you were in another world?
Book Details
- Author: Tae Keller
- Illustrator: Geraldine Rodríguez
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Adventures , Friendship , Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Courage , Teamwork
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
- Publication date: November 8, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 240
- Available on: Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: December 13, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Fairy Tales for Kids
Books with Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander Characters
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