The Grimm Legacy [Paperback]

Polly Shulman (Author)

Book Description

Release date: July 7, 2011 | Age Range: 10 and up

Elizabeth has just started working as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repository - a lending library of objects, contemporary and historical, common and obscure. And secret, too - for in the repository's basement lies the Grimm Collection, a room of magical items straight from the Grimm Brother's fairy tales. But the magic mirrors and seven-league boots and other items are starting to disappear. And before she knows it, she and her fellow pages - handsome Marc, perfect Anjali, and brooding Aaron - are suddenly caught up in an exciting, and dangerous, magical adventure.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 6–9—Feeling left out from her stepfamily at home and from her classmates at her new school, Elizabeth is delighted when she gets a job at the New York Circulating Material Repository, a library that loans objects of historical value. She's particularly intrigued when she's given access to the Grimm Collection, a secret room that holds magical objects from the Brothers' tales, e.g., seven-league boots, a mermaid's comb, and the sinister mirror from "Snow White." However, when the items start to disappear, she and her fellow pages embark on a dangerous quest to catch the thief, only to find themselves among the suspects. This modern fantasy has intrigue, adventure, and romance, and the magical aspects of the tale are both clever and intricately woven, from rhyming charms to flying-carpet rides. The author brings the seemingly disparate elements together in the end, while still making certain that her protagonist's problems are not completely solved by the world of magic. Shulman's prose is fast paced, filled with humor, and peopled with characters who are either true to life or delightfully bizarre. Fans of fairy tales in general and Grimm stories in particular will delight in the author's frequent literary references, and fantasy lovers will feel very much at home in this tale that pulls out all the stops.—Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Is there a better antidote to a lonely teen existence than a dose of fairy-tale magic? Elizabeth has yet to make friends at her tony Manhattan private school, and she feels equally alone at home with her remote father and taskmaster stepmother. Then Elizabeth's teacher recommends her for a job at the New York Circulating Material Repository, and as Elizabeth befriends the other pages, she begins to learn that fairy tales aren't just fantasy and that many of the special collections' artifacts belong to her favorite childhood stories, including the magic mirror from Snow White. Just as Elizabeth learns about the repository's impossible wonders, some of the most powerful objects, and then some of the pages, disappear, and she finds herself leading the dangerous rescue. Captivating magic fills the pages of this exciting new novel from the author of Enthusiasm (2006). The story occasionally loses momentum, but action fans will find plenty of heart-pounding, fantastical escapades as the novel builds to its satisfying, romantic conclusion. A richly imagined adventure with easy appeal for Harry Potter fans. Grades 6-9. --Gillian Engberg --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Puffin; Reprint edition (July 7, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780142419045
• ISBN-13: 978-0142419045
• ASIN: 0142419044
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Mystery, Fairy Tales & Romance - A Wonderful Read July 29, 2010

By Karen VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Elizabeth Rew figures the library job will give her a little spending money and a chance to finally make some friends. Ever since her Dad remarried, Elizabeth has been feeling like an outsider. That's true at home, where her father barely notices her anymore and her stepmother sees her as some sort of chore machine, and at school, where the students are not interested in becoming friends with `the new girl.' So when her social studies teacher recommends Elizabeth for a job as a Page at The New-York Circulating Materials Repository, she figures `Why not?'

When Elizabeth starts work, she discovers that the Circulating Materials Repository is unlike any library she's ever seen. Instead of books, the vast building is stuffed full of things. Objects like Marie Antoinette's wig, Shakespearean-era doublets, tea sets, carpets and every other material possession imaginable are housed in the Repository's nine floors of stacks.

Even more amazing are the `special' collections. The Repository is home to a number of secret and magical objects, including those in the Grimm Collection. It seems that when the Brothers Grimm gathered folk tales and legends in their travels, they also acquired many of the magical items associated with the tales they made famous - things like dancing slippers, mermaid combs, and even the Seven League Boots.

Before long, Elizabeth feels a strong connection with both the Repository and her coworkers. She truly fits in and she enjoys easy bonds of friendship with most of her fellow Pages. But all is not well at the Repository. Someone is stealing magical objects from the Grimm Collection and until the thief is caught, everyone is a suspect, including the Pages.... On top of that, one of the Pages has already disappeared and Elizabeth's friend Anjali is being stalked by a large creepy bird, of all things. It's obvious the Pages will have to take matters into their own hands if they want these mysteries solved, the Repository returned to normal, and their jobs secured.

Although Elizabeth begins the book unhappy with her new family arrangement and her father's neglect, her attitude isn't overly whiney or self-pitying. In fact, her character is a true to life representation of a teen struggling to find her way in a new family. The idea of the Repository and its special collections is fabulously presented and the story is a fun and breezy adventure with just a hint of romance. There's enough going on here, both with the plot and with the world of the Repository itself, to keep you interested from beginning to end. The Grimm Legacy is well worth reading! Read more ›

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A captivating modern fantasy July 16, 2010

By J. Prather TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The New York Circulating Material Repository is an amazing place. It's a library that circulates things instead of books. Subscribing patrons can check out 14th century clothing, Abraham Lincoln's hat, or even Marie Antoinette's wig. H G Wells time machine is in residence, as well as artifacts from Lovecraft and Gibson. For any fan of science fiction and fantasy, this place is a dream! Perhaps the most mysterious room is the one that houses the Grimm collection, where Elizabeth finds out that the magic described in her favorite fairy tales is real, and all the objects that appear in those stories are now at her disposal.

The author has created a fascinating story here, and a great character in Elizabeth. She's a lonely teen who takes the job at the library in hopes of meeting new friends and ends up on the adventure of her life. This book is brilliantly plotted and the author does a great job of weaving in the fantasy elements with the modern day aspects of her story. The pacing is fast and readers will be glued to the page as Elizabeth encounters flying shoes, gets shrunk by a shrink ray, and is attacked by an evil art dealer, all the while trying to save her friend who has been turned into a doll. I don't think I'll ever look at a doll collection in quite the same way.

In amongst all the fantasy and magic is actually a really good mystery. Elizabeth and her fellow pages at the library must find out who is stealing items from the Grimm collection and it's this quest that keeps the story moving along. All the magic sometimes works together for some convenient coincidences on a couple of occasions, but that's okay since the story flows so beautifully.... The magic described in the story is very imaginative and I loved how it all tied in with classic stories and with the library. I've always known that libraries are magical places!

There's a bit of romance here that adds to the charm, and some unrequited love. Our group of heroes spend some time mooning over and fighting with each other, and the author does a great job with their dialogue. She has an authentic voice for all of her characters. This book will be a great read for any lover of fantasy, classic stories, or libraries. There are no language issues, just some kissing and talk of "hotness". This is a smart action adventure for anyone grade 7 and up. Adults will appreciate the many references to classic tales, and kids will revel in all the action. A big recommend. Read more ›

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too July 8, 2010

By TeensReadToo

Format:Hardcover

Gold Star Award Winner!

Elizabeth, the new girl in school, doesn't have any friends. When her social studies teacher, Mr. Mauskopf, recommends her for a job at a special library, things start looking up.

During the job interview, she's given a box of buttons and asked to sort them. Elizabeth doesn't know quite what to make it of, but apparently she passes with flying colors. Then she discovers that the library doesn't hold many books, but it circulates a variety of items - including hot chocolate pots.

At first, she's confused, but soon she learns that the library circulates old items, valuable items, and some magic items. The magic items are from the Grimm Collection - as in objects from the fairy tales. However, the items from the Grimm Collection seem to be losing their magic.

Could someone be stealing the magic, and with all the security, could it actually be an inside job?

I love the idea of fairy tale items being available for circulation. While the fantastical elements made the story surprising and enjoyable, the mystery behind the magic moves the story. I simply devoured this book, and I dearly hope this is the start of a new series.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hurray for No Cheating and Good New-Fangled Honesty! December 30, 2010

By M. Lee

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a mum who screens everything her 11-year-old daughter reads, I usually hesitate in letting her read material where there is romance in a book. Some books I have found to be totally unobjectionable, because the message that comes across is personal responsibility and accountability needs to come with "adult" behaviour. Many of Wendy Mass' books (not all of them), for example, many of Jacqueline Wilson's (those British authors!!!) and Wendelin Van Draanen's "Flipped" - I have enjoyed and felt secure sharing with said daughter. "The Grimm Legacy" by Polly Shulman is a *totally* delightful find, then, in terms of what it offers: magic, literature, social situations, age-appropriate romance (the protagonists are high-schoolers working, in the library, no less - said daughter also volunteers in a library!).

As far as language, humour and pacing, "The Grimm Legacy" reminded me of Delia Sherman's "Changeling" and its sequel "The Magic Mirror of the Mermaid Queen" - but I feel the true value of the book lies in how subtly but powerfully the value of honesty comes through: in the magic, in the adventures, in the challenges, for example, a perceived parental-disapproved romance - it wasn't until I closed the book (read it in one sitting and absolutely will be re-reading) that this very undervalued theme of truth vs. lying and prejudice hit me. In a time where so many students seem to think it's okay to cheat in exams or get something for nothing, it's nice to follow along on the adventures of Elizabeth and her friends as they, in turn, choose the path of honesty.... I was particularly touched by how Elizabeth's step-sister was "mean" not so much in the conventional way, but in offering to let Elizabeth use her pre-corrected answer to a class assignment - and impressed by how Elizabeth chose to do her own work instead. Brilliant! But enough from me; here's how said daughter found the book:

"The book, 'The Grimm Legacy' by Polly Shulman is my new all-time favorite book. It was a little adult in some parts so I wouldn't recommend it to a fourth grader. However, I think that six graders such as myself would love this book.

"Lonely at her new high school, Elizabeth takes on a job at the New-York Circulating Material Repository, hoping to make new friends as well as some cash. However, she soon realizes that the repository is no ordinary library. It lends out objects rather than books -everything from spoons to Marie Antoinette's everyday wig. It is also the place where Grimm fairytale objects are stored, from seven-league boots to Snow White's stepmother's smirking mirror that talks in riddles and has a will of its own. However, when someone starts stealing all the magical objects, can Elizabeth and her new friends - the beautiful Indian 'princess' Anjali, super-cute basketball star Marc, and Aaron, the cute and funny, if snobby page - find out who it is?

"My favorite part has got to be when Elizabeth (shrunken by a shrink ray) falls to the ground right next to a huge rat and, to protect herself, she throws her iPod at it and totally missed. Then, she said, 'What a waste of an iPod.' I laughed my socks off!

"I would definitely give this book five big huge solid gold stars: two for the characters, two for the humor and one for the romance." Read more ›