Into the Wild
by Sarah Beth Durst

    INTO THE WILD by Sarah Beth Durst
    Category:  Fantasy
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
    Release Date:  6/21/07
    Publisher:  Razorbill
    Reviewed by:  Carrie Spellman
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Once upon a time, the characters in all the old fairy tales escaped.  To our world.  Where they live like normal
    people.  Well, almost normal.  Okay, Julie, the daughter of Rapunzel, doesn't think there's anything particularly
    normal about any of them.  Or her life.  And there is definitely nothing normal about the thing under her bed.

    Since the escape, Rapunzel has cut off her hair and runs a beauty salon.  She and Julie live with Julie's brother, Puss
    and Boots.  Though he just pretends to be the family pet.  Julie's grandmother used to be the wicked witch who ate
    small children.  Now she's just a nice old lady with a creepy laugh, who runs an inn.  Julie's father, the Prince, never
    made it out.  And the thing under the Julie's bed is The Wild.

    The Wild used to hold all of the fairy tales.  Now it has to be watched and controlled, or else it will try to grow and
    imprison everyone all over again.  It's weak enough to be kept under Julie's bed, but that doesn't stop it from trying
    to transform everything that gets close to it.  Julie's down to only mismatched shoes and flip flops, and you don't
    even want to know what happened when they tried to keep it in the basement!  As long as no one completes a fairy
    tale act, or makes a wish in the wishing well at Grandmother's inn, The Wild remains safely locked in Julie's room,
    and all of the characters who made it out are safe.

    Just like in fairy tales, one day something goes terribly wrong.  Someone seems to have got to the wishing well, and
    The Wild has escaped.  By the time Julie gets to it, it's already taken over most of the town.  The city is evacuating.  
    And The Wild is growing.  When Julie finds out that it's already taken her mom and her grandmother she knows she
    has to go in and save them, and possibly everyone and everything else.

    She'll just have to be careful to not get stuck in a story, or accidentally end one, and help everyone she knows
    remember who they are so they don't get too stuck.  And not let The Wild beat her.  If she can find her way to the
    wishing well, and manage to make the right wish, she just might be able to get everyone out of there.  Or, she might
    get stuck in her own fairy tale forever.

    Who hasn't wished that they could live in a fairy tale?  Marry the handsome Prince or Princess and live happily ever
    after?  Sounds great to me.  Except when "happily ever after" means repeating the same story, over and over, with
    no end, and no choices.  Then it starts to look a bit frightening.

    INTO THE WILD is hilarious in parts, sad in parts, and surprisingly honest, given that it's about fairy tales.  Almost
    all of your favorite characters are at least mentioned, even if they don't make an appearance.  Some of the stories
    may seem a little different -- these aren't the Disney versions.  Not that it's particularly horrible or scary, just
    something to keep in mind.  All in all, a great book.  I enjoyed it immensely!