Twins Willow and Jake Grimm are not prepared for the bizarre gadgets and scary changes in their new home of New Marburg, the location of the top-secret Think Tank where their parents now have jobs as scientists. In this town, people jetpack to work, robots direct traffic, and senior citizens duel with laser swords.

Yet nothing compares to what happens the day after lightning strikes the twins’ house. Their school building transforms around them, becoming a medieval castle—complete with moat, drawbridge, and a dangerous giant who looks strangely like the school’s overly aggressive hall monitor.

Barely managing to escape before a massive beanstalk lifts the castle above the clouds, Willow and Jake learn that their ancestors, the original Brothers Grimm, were more than storytellers. They were Grimmwalkers, able to travel from our universe to Grimmworld: the universe where all fairy tales are born.

Somehow, Willow and Jake have been transported to Grimmworld as well. But before the twins can figure out how to get back to their own universe, they discover that their best friends, Hank and Pearl, have morphed into the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel and been captured by a candy-obsessed witch deep in the Cursed Forest.

Now, aided by a mysterious wizard with shimmering golden eyes and a befuddled, talking naked mole-rat named Chet, the twins must trust in each other, believe in themselves, and find the courage to face their darkest fears in order to save their friends, return to their family, and maybe—just maybe—save the world.

This middle grade fairytale story is full of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. It’s a little bit of everything that I enjoy reading. I will say that this leans more toward dark horror than I thought it would, so it would be more suitable for middle graders and up, not elementary kids, in my opinion. It got pretty creepy and eerie for a kids’ book. The kids face danger around every corner, and they constantly have to work together to defeat the evil witch.  

Overall, I found the story very creative and imaginative, dark yet hopeful, and suspenseful yet heartwarming. I’ll admit, it took me until about 25-30% before I fully committed to this story and could get into it. But then it really took off and was quite the action-packed, magical adventure. The writing is rich with details and really immerses you in the different worlds. 

When Jake, Willow, and their parents moved to New Marburg, I was shocked to see how sci-fi the town is (reminded me a little of the old cartoon, The Jetsons), but it was fun to see the weird and bizarre scenes and people. It made me curious about this place, and I wanted to know and see more. I wished they had explored the town a bit more. 

The first part of the book is in our world, and it kept me guessing the whole time. I was very curious to know more about this strange new town as well as what was going on because there was a lot of strange behavior happening with most of the adults, including their parents. It was definitely a page-turner once I got into it. 

Then, in the second part of the book, we’re in Grimmworld, which is a very magical and fantastical place. However, the explanations about the different universes and all the science talk were a bit of a brain teaser. It was a little confusing and hard to understand for me as an adult, so I could see a child having a bit of a difficult time with those scenes. But it was still very intriguing and creative. 

I enjoyed learning how the two main kids were descendants of the Brothers Grimm and how it turned into a family adventure. There is a lot of care and love between the two siblings. The character development goes pretty deep into their feelings and struggles in their daily lives, but then we see how much they both look up to each other and focus on each other’s strengths when they both focus on their own weaknesses. There were some very touching moments between brother and sister that tugged at my heartstrings. There is definitely familial bonding during this adventure. I loved seeing their relationship grow stronger. 

While in GrimmWorld, we see a unique take on the fairytale, Hansel and Gretel. We meet the witch, who keeps the children as prisoners in her candy house. The challenges the witch puts the kids through are interesting, but I wish there were more to them. I wish they were bigger and more action-packed. But I enjoyed the puzzles, riddles, and games they had to play. They really made you think. In fact, this entire book really makes you think! 

I had a good time with this book. It looks like it’s the first book in a series. I would be interested in reading book two if it comes out. Definitely recommend this book!