Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Schultz
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fascinating fractured fairy tales grow darker, tenser.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Based on 26 kid reviews
Kids say that this series is a beloved comfort read that offers a unique twist on fairy tales, combining elements of fantasy, mystery, and some darker themes. Although it has received praise for its engaging storytelling and character development, many reviews recommend it for older children due to its mild violence and complex themes, cautioning that younger readers might find it confusing or a bit intense.
- comfort read
- dark themes
- violence warning
- engaging storytelling
- complex characters
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In the nine Sisters Grimm books, sisters Daphne and Sabrina Grimm are the daughters of detective parents, who disappeared before the beginning of Book 1. The girls have been bounced among various foster homes, where they've often been mistreated as servants and scapegoats. They then end up with their grandmother, Relda, who reveals that they're living among Everafters: real-life characters from children stories. The girls also learn that an evil society, The Scarlet Hand, is trying to take over the world, and they need to go through all the Grimms to do it.
Is It Any Good?
The Sisters Grimm books are full of clever devices and twists on familiar characters. One Prince Charming is a reformed alcoholic. Sleeping Beauty runs a coffee shop. Little Red Riding Hood is a psychotic kidnapper. Young readers will be entertained and fascinated to see these storybook icons in totally different roles, and each well-paced novel is more suspenseful than the last.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the the original Brothers Grimm fairy tales and find out how the characters and stories in the Sisters Grimm series were envisioned two centuries ago. How are these new stories different?
Which is your favorite book in the series, and why?
Try writing and illustrating your own "fractured fairy tale."
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Peter Ferguson
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic , Fairy Tales ) , Adventures , Book Characters , Family Stories ( Siblings )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Abrams
- Publication date : August 28, 2005
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 312
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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