Sabrina and Daphne Grimm have finally gotten their parents back from the Red Hand, but they are still in a state of magical sleep, unable to be awakened. Their Uncle Jake, returned to the town of Ferryport Landing, has been keeping an eye out for the one woman he knows can help them- Goldilocks, who he once helped escape from the town. But she doesn't stay in any one place more than a few days, making it very hard to try and contact her.
Meanwhile, Prince Charming's being ousted as the Mayor and the Queen of Hearts taking his place are causing more problems for the Grimms, and for their friend Mr. Canis as well. The Queen of Hearts is driving all the normal humans out of town, and many of the Everafters will no longer speak to the Grimms, and have joined the Red Hand, an organization devoted to helping the Everafters take over first the town, and eventually, the world.
The new Sherriff, the Sheriff of Nottingham, has arrested Mr. Canis on charges of being the Big, Bad Wolf. And now they decide to put him on trial with the Mad Hatter as Judge. One of those being called for the trial will be Little Red Riding Hood, as well as those who suffered in the Wolf's attack.
Granny Relda hires the Sherwood Group to represent Mr. Canis and Robin Hood and his men do their best to defend him. But is the story told about the Big Bad Wolf really true? And can Daphne and Sabrina retrieve the only weapon reputed to work against the Big Bad Wolf from the bank before Mr. Canis is sentenced to death by the Jury of his Everafter peers, all of whom hate him for helping the Grimms? When the opposing counsel is Bluebeard, success is by no means certain!
Meanwhile, Uncle Jake borrows a Travelling Box from some friends to contact Goldilocks, but he isn't the only one after her. It seems that the Red Hand is also looking for Goldilocks, and seems determined to bump her off! But while the girls and Uncle Jake try to contact Goldilocks and get her to help them, Granny Relda is looking into the story of Red Riding Hood and trying to get to the bottom of the real story. But can they find the truth, and hear the true tale of Red Riding Hood, before time runs out at the trial?
Things are at a very low ebb for Sabrina and Daphne. The Red Hand has almost taken over the town, they have their parents back but yet don't have them because of the whole "enchanted sleep" thing, and the Queen of Hearts is driving out all the normal humans in favor of the Everafters. Things look bleak, but it also looks like the series only has another book or two in it, because by the end, things are almost starting to look up again.
Sabrina, of course, must deal with her addiction to magic, and the way her sister now wants to act like a grown-up, and of course, Puck, who she is actually coming to feel something for (the way she feels when he tells her she looks ugly is very illuminating!). But she makes several missteps during the course of the novel and her situation almost seems as bad as her family's with respect to the Red Hand.
I like this novel for its ideas, and indeed, the whole series is amazing and interesting. Any kid who has listened to, read, or been told of Grimm's Fairy Tales will find something to enjoy in this novel and series. What would it be like to have Puck living in your house? To experience magic on a daily basis? This series answers some of those questions, and every inner child will laugh in glee when they read it.
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