Flunked by Jen Calonita

Pages: 242
Intended Audience: Tweens
Genre: Fantasy / Fairy Tale Parody
Notes for Parents: The violence is very mild.

The Back Cover

Would you send a villain to do a hero’s job?
Gilly wouldn’t call herself wicked, exactly…but when you have five little brothers and sisters and live in a run-down boot, you have to get creative to make ends meet. Gilly’s a pretty good thief (if she does say so herself).
Until she gets caught.
Gilly’s sentenced to three months at Fairy Tale Reform School—where all of the teachers are former (super-scary) villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother. Harsh. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there’s more to this school than its heroic mission.
There’s a battle brewing and Gilly has to wonder just how good these bad guys are.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the author’s first middle grade book and it’s the first book in a series.

What’s good?

This is a charismatic tale with an engaging premise and a fun cast of characters. Fairy tale references are tightly woven into this adventure story along with plenty of action, mystery, and humor. The main character, Gilly, is a spunky, high-spirited narrator who is easy to like, and she’s surrounded by a group delightful eccentrics. The plot is simple and straightforward, and the writing is strong and easy to read.
Best Part: Gilly’s family and their shoe.

What isn’t good?

This is, without a doubt, a middle grade novel meant for younger readers. There is no complexity to the plot, making it very predictable, and there is no depth to the characters, making them predictable. This is likely intentional, however, because this story is probably just meant to be good, clean fun.
Worst part: It’s very predictable.

Recommendation þþþoo

The best word I can use to describe this novel is “cute.” I was first attracted to the enchanting cover, and next to the promise of fractured fairy tales. The book delivered an entertaining story. This is a good start to what should be a charming series.

Calonita, Jen. Flunked. New York: Scholastic, 2015.