Review: If the Shoe Fits

If the Shoe Fits (Whatever After, book two)
By Sarah Mlynowski
Published 2013 by Scholastic

Abby and Jonah discovered that they had a magic mirror in their basement, one that dropped them into Snow White's story. They are anxious to get back for a visit, but the mirror does not seem to be cooperating. Finally, it works - only they're not in Snow White's kingdom. They've ended up in Cinderella's story - and, just like before, things start to go wrong. Can Abby and Jonah set the story straight before time runs out?

This is the follow-up to last year's absolutely adorable Fairest of All. I quite liked the first title and was eager to see what would follow. I'm happy to report that the second book doesn't disappoint - it's just as charming and fun as the first. I still think these covers are absolutely perfect - they are especially appealing to girls of a certain age, which I think is just what Mlynowski was going for. The realistic sibling dynamic between Abby and Jonah is just as present here in book two as in the first, and their characters come across just as clearly. Once again, Mlynowski has given life to the familiar fairy tale characters; here, she changes the Cinderella story even more than she did with Snow White. In my review of the first, I noted a hint of something darker to come - I didn't get that same feeling from this one. Yes, there was still an indication that there were more secrets yet to be revealed but they didn't seem as dark as they did in the first. This is a quick and highly entertaining read and I'm looking forward to more additions to the series in the coming years. As a matter of fact, Fairest of All was chosen as a Bluebonnet title for 2013-2014 and I've already seen a number of girls clamoring for more of the series.

Thanks to the publisher for a digital advance reader's copy, provided via NetGalley.