Would you send a villain to do a hero's job?
Flunked is an exciting new twisted fairy tale from the award-winning author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series. "Charming fairy-tale fun." -Sarah Mlynowski, author of the New York Times bestselling Whatever After series.
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: can a villain really change?
"Fairy Tale Reform School is spellbinding and wickedly clever. Gilly is smart, spunky, and a hilarious narrator, and I cannot wait to read about her next adventure!" -Leslie Margolis, author of the Annabelle Unleashed novels and the Maggie Brooklyn mysteries
"Fairy Tale Reform School is a fresh and funny take on the enchanted world. (And who hasn't always wanted to know what happened to Cinderella's stepmother?)" -Julia DeVillers, author of the Trading Faces identical twin series and Emma Emmets, Playground Matchmaker
Industry Reviews
"This enjoyable series launch creatively incorporates familiar fairy-tale characters and hallmarks-princesses, talking mirrors, spells, and magical beings, from fairies to ogres-along with an engaging and spirited protagonist, abundant plot turns, and witty touches. Overall, there's much to amuse and entertain fans of classic tales with a twist." - Booklist
"Calonita blithely samples from fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and folklore in this lighthearted first book in the Fairy Tale Reform School series.... Recognizable fairy-tale characters abound (profiles of the school's instructors, like Xavier Wolfington, the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood, appear throughout), and questions of whether goodness or badness run to the core of a person leave readers with plenty to consider." - Publishers Weekly
"Gilly's plucky spirit and determination to oust the culprit will make Flunked a popular choice for tweens" - School Library Journal
"Gilly hates the royals and blames them for her family's poverty. So robbing from the royals doesn't bother her at all. Unfortunately it's still a crime and lands her in Fairy Tale Reform School. But this school is not what she expected, and it just might make a hero of her yet. Fairy tale fans will love this clever and lively tale of magic, friendship, and courage. " - Discovery Girls
"Flunked sounds incredibly innovative and appears to be turning the story of Cinderella's stepmother upside-down. I for one am dying to see the real reason behind Flora's reform school and what is really going down in Enchantasia." - B&N Kids Blog
"A reform school where all the teachers are former villains. Kinda writes itself, right" - SLJ Fuse 8
"Readers will recognize and enjoy the various fairy tales referenced here, as Calonita nods to movie adaptations as well as the original stories, and they'll enjoy her sly incorporation of social media to provide important background informa- tion and character sketches...this clever novel and its smart, endearing cast of characters will have readers enchanted and eager for the implied sequel(s). " - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A spoof on folktales... would be enjoyed by students preferring fast-paced mysteries. Recommended" - School Library Connection