The Magic Mirror: A Branches Book (Once Upon a Fairy Tale #1) - by Anna Staniszewski (Paperback)

About the Book

"The Ice Princess's magic mirror is broken, one piece is missing, and without it the Enchanted Kingdom is locked in a terrible, unseasonable, heat wave (even the palace is melting); two children, Kara and Zed, are determined to help, but first they must figure out whether the break is the result of the sibling rivalry between the Ice Princess and her sister the Sun Princess--or did the monkey do it?"--Publisher's description.

Book Synopsis

Magic, friendship, and adventure are the perfect ingredients for a new twisted fairy tales Branches series from Anna Staniszewski!

Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!The Enchanted Kingdom is in a heat wave until the Ice Princess uses her magic mirror to make winter come -- no wonder Kara and Zed are too hot. But the magic mirror is broken! And no one else wants to help the princess. Can Kara and Zed find out how to fix the mirror and bring back winter? Or will it be summer forever? Macky Pamintuan's illustrations are on every page, welcoming readers into the adorably silly world of the Once Upon a Fairy Tale series.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Magic Mirror: "Staniszewski creates a tense mystery akin to the 'Encyclopedia Brown' series. . . . Pamintuan's illustrations have an animated style that is engaging without overwhelming the text. VERDICT A series debut that. . .will engage readers with its fantastical mystery and honest depictions of relationships with family and friends." -- School Library JournalPraise for UnFairy Tale Life series, by Anna Staniszewski: "A speedy and amusing ride that...will keep readers entertained."- Publisher's Weekly"A light comic romp...Charming."- Kirkus"Anna Staniszewski creates a magical world that's totally relatable. You'll find yourself wishing you were alongside Jenny fighting against unicorns (who aren't as peaceful as you think) and traveling to fantastical realms."- GirlsLife.com"A funny, fast-paced novel of magical mayhem."- Discovery Girls Magazine

About the Author

Born in Poland and raised in the United States, Anna Staniszewski grew up loving stories in both Polish and English. She was a Writer-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library and a winner of the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award. Anna lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts, and teaches at Simmons College. When she's not writing, Anna spends her time reading, eating chocolate, and challenging unicorns to games of hopscotch. You can visit her at annastan.com.
Macky Pamintuan was born in the Philippines. He received his bachelor of fine arts in San Francisco, and he has illustrated numerous children's books. He has a smarty-pants young daughter who loves to read and go on imaginary adventureswith her furry pal and trusty sidekick, Winter. He now lives in Mexico with his family.