Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here are the latest arrivals: The Fairy-Tale Detectives (Sisters Grimm Book 1) and The Unusual Suspects (Sisters Grimm Book 2) by Michael Buckley

First line: I’m going to die of boredom here, Sabrina Grimm thought as she looked out the train window at Ferryport Landing, New York.

Book description:

For Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, life hasn’t been a fairy tale. After the mysterious disappearance of their parents, the sisters are sent to live with their grandmother—a woman they believed was dead! Granny Relda reveals that the girls have two famous ancestors, the Brothers Grimm, whose classic book of fairy tales is actually a collection of case files of magical mischief. Now the girls must take on the family responsibility of being fairy-tale detectives. Their first case? A roller-coaster ride of an adventure to stop a giant from destroying their new hometown.

First line: “Let’s get this party started, already!” Sabrina complained under her breath as she rubbed the charley horse in her leg.

Book description:

For Sabrina Grimm, living in a community of fairy-tale characters means always being ready for trouble. And something is definitely wrong at her new school. The adults seem too angry, the kids seem too sleepy, and the gym teacher likes dodgeball way too much. Of course, her little sister, Daphne, is having the time of her life. (Who wouldn’t with Snow White for a teacher—she’s do good with little people!) But when Sabrina’s teacher, Mr. Grumpner, is found dangling in a giant spider web, even sunny Daphne’s convinced Ferryport Landing Elementary has a monster problem. Can the Sisters Grimm solve the crime?

Initial thoughts: I must admit that these two books were impulse buys more than anything else.

Since I was a kid, I’ve adored fairytales. Even now I can see Grimm’s Complete Fairytales sitting on my bookshelf—it never wanders too far away from me because sometimes I like to crack it open and read whenever I need a break. (By the way, it’s the original fairytales. In my version, the wicked queen in Snow White had to dance in red-hot iron shoes until she dropped dead. Bet you won’t see that in a Disney movie anytime soon.)

Back on track…when I saw that it was a new spin on a classic, I couldn’t resist. Especially since it had a Girl Power! spin to it. In reading these books, I hope to return to a fun part of my childhood where adventure awaited around every corner.