The Sisters Grimm: Once Upon a Crime - #4

by Michael Buckley

Book Overview

In the long-awaited fourth book in the New York Times bestselling series, the Grimms take on New York City!Surprises abound for Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, fairy-tale detectives extraordinaire. When they venture into the big city, they stumble upon a murder, face betrayal by a friend, and discover an amazing secret about their mother, Veronica.Sabrina just wants to be normal--no detecting, no dangerous escapes, and especially no Everafters. Unfortunately,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 081091610X
• ISBN13: 9780810916104
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 7.3"
• Age Range: 7 to 13 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 8

Customer Reviews

The Sisters Grimm are fabulous

This whole series has been wonderful to read. As a grandmother, I have learned to read at least the first book in any "childrens" series to make sure that I will be giving my grandchildren good books to read. This series has me preordering books just to find out what happens next to the delightful sisters and the fairytale beings who inhabit their world - willingly or not! My nieces and granddaughter have enjoyed these books and look forward to receiving the next one, once grandmother is finished!Magic and Other Misdemeanors (The Sisters Grimm, Book 5)

Entertaining with mystery, comedy and a range of emotions

This book 4 of the Sisters Grimm series continues the entertaining adventures of Sabrina and Daphne. There is humor, mystery, and some degree of romance, but on a child's level--nothing to scare kids away from the series. In this book, the reader and Sabrina become better acquainted with Sabrina's mother's "secret" life. Sabrina and Daphne basically must eventually choose whether to stay in the Grimm family business. Another entertaining read!

Such fun!

The Grimm sisters, their grandmother Relda, Puck and Mr. Hamstead (one of the Three Little Pigs) are off to New York City! Puck is very sick from his injury at the end of the third book of this series, and the Grimm gang need to find their way into the Faerie kingdom in order to find his fairy family who can help heal Puck. They arrive at their destination, but soon everything is mayhem when a murder occurs, and the Grimm detective sisters Sabrina and Daphne are once more thrown into the search for a criminal. Meanwhile, Sabrina is re-thinking if she even wants to be a fairy-tale detective and live such a wild, dangerous life. I have only read the third and now fourth of The Sisters Grimm books, but really ought to go back and read the first two. They are such pure, unadulterated fun! Fast-paced, thrilling plots and a unique writing style make them enjoyable for all ages. And since I love anything to do with fairy-tales, reading these books filled with characters and creatures from all sorts of classic tales is nothing short of a blast. If you are a fan of light-hearted mysteries and mixed-up fairy-tales, make sure not to miss this series.

The entire series so far has been a captivating indulgence!

Each book in the series makes an excellent bed time story- or daytime too! Just like the fairy-tales many of the characters are based upon, this book will put children of all ages, ESPECIALLY younger ones in awe! Im 12, and the series so far has been delightfully satisfying to me. When ever I need a break form a heavy, and intence (but veryveryvery good) book such as Harry Potter, The Sisters Grimm books are much appreciated! My point is, The Sisters Grimm books are quick reads, but excellent reads as well.

Fun For All Ages

Descended from the Brothers Grimm of fairy tale fame, eleven-year-old Sabrina Grimm and Daphne, her seven-year-old sister, have had all kinds of adventures since they went to live with their Granny Relda after their parents disappeared. Although Sabrina loves her grandmother, she's not happy that she lives in a town filled with fairytale characters. While it's a dream come true for Daphne, Sabrina wants out since it seems like her family is constantly in danger. This time is no different - their friend Puck is injured and they go to New York City to find his family. While there his father Oberon is murdered and Sabrina and her family barely escape being charged with the murder. While Granny Relda, her friend Mr. Canis, Daphne, and Moth, Puck's would be girlfriend, try to find the murderer; Sabrina wants no part in the detecting. But Sabrina is learning more about her parents especially her mother, and when Sabrina and Daphne are taken away from their grandmother, Sabrina finds out how important family really is. "Once Upon a Crime" is the fourth book in Michael Buckley's charming The Sisters Grimm Fairy Tale Detective Series. Buckley fills the books not only with characters from "A Midsummer Night's Dream", but lots of characters from fairytales and literature including the Wizard of Oz, the Big Bad Wolf, one of the three little pigs, the seven dwarfs, Scrooge, and Tiny Tim. Buckley has fun tweaking some of the fairytale elements: Mr. Canis is the Big Bad Wolf; one of the three little pigs is a policeman called Mr. Hamstead; and Scrooge runs a financial and spiritual advice shop that is haunted by the ghosts of Easter, Passover, Thanksgiving, etc. Other fun characters in the book include fairy godfathers and Wall Street Pirates (literally!). There's a wonderful sense of humor and play on words throughout the book like when one characters says of the cantankerous gingerbread man "he looks sweet, but he's really hard to swallow". One funny but creepy scene, which might remind readers of Lemony Snicket, happens when Granny Relda is considered an unfit guardian and Sabrina and Daphne are sent to live with a reformed serial killer. Newcomers to the series should start with the first book as this book continues events from the third book. Since this book is part of a series, not everything is resolved by the end, although Sabrina and Daphne do find out who kidnapped their parents. "Once Upon a Crime" is fun for readers of all ages.