Storybound
By Mary Eisenhart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Hugely inventive story of kids in peril in fairy-tale world.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Twelve-year-old Una Fairchild, who's spent her life bounced from one bleak foster home to another, goes to her school library as usual one day and finds things strangely different. She's suddenly transported to an adventure-in-progress, in which Lord Peter, a young hero on horseback, is traveling with a snowy-robed, whiny maiden, whom he's soon compelled to defend against a fearsome dragon. This is Una's introduction to the land of Story, where everyone's career is to be a character in a long-defined tale -- a Hero, a Lady, a Sidekick, a Villain, etc. Her abrupt arrival has disrupted an examination in progress; before long, she's at school with Peter, Snow (the maiden), Sam the talking cat, Horace the bully, and other students and discovering that the school, the teachers, and the land of Story itself offer unexpected wonders, mortal dangers, and disturbing hints about Una's own origins.
Is It Any Good?
As with many first-volume fantasy novels, there's a lot of background information for young readers to absorb in STORYBOUND. At times they may find themselves as bewildered as young Una, dropped all unknowing in a strange land.
But Una and her friends are strong, appealing characters, and Una's arrival is a catalyst that drives them to discover unsuspected sinister forces behind the social conventions they've always taken for granted. Suspense is high as they proceed along the path of discovery, acquiring knowledge and courage in the process, and there's plenty to intrigue readers and provoke further thought.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what it would be like to live in a world where your only option was to play a role in the same, much-repeated story in which all the parts were defined and you were judged solely on how well you conformed to your role's definition.
How do the different characters' family lives -- Peter's loving parents, Una's lifetime in the foster system, Snow's peculiar relationship with her mother -- affect the way they view the world and how they behave?
Peter is shocked when Una tells him that in her world nobody is all good or all bad, because in Story it's supposed to be much simpler. What characters do you think might be both good and bad in Story, or seem to be one and turn out to be the other?
Book Details
- Author: Marissa Burt
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Fairy Tales, Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Harper
- Publication date: April 3, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 416
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Fantasy Books for Kids
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate