Never After: The Stolen Slippers is the second installment in the Never After middle-grade series. The protagonist, Filomena, is a 12-year-old girl who travels from Pasadena to Never After, where she is tasked with ensuring the fairy tales happen the way they are supposed to by tracking down Cinderella's slippers.

A group of 4, Alistair, Gretel, Filomena, and Jack Stalker, embark on a journey to retrieve the slippers and keep Never After in existence in the process. They encounter challenges along the way, such as having to outsmart the Queen of Hearts, getting trapped in the gingerbread house (my favorite part), and ending up in the Beast's lair, so the story is action packed and fast-paced. Filomena is quite ga-ga over Jack, which a month ago I would've thought was extreme for a 12-year-old, but then I saw the 5th graders buying jewelry for their girlfriends in the Christmas store at school.

I have not read the first book in the series so was scratching my head a few times in confusion, but the book was still enjoyable without the background. This is a very cute story and would be a great addition to any middle-grade serving library.

The Stolen Slippers finds Filomena Jefferson-Cho and her friends back in Never After searching for Cinderella's glass slippers. As in the last book, we learn that the familiar Cinderella story is not true and Filomena and her friends have to rectify something if there is to a Happily Ever After. This story is set in Eastphalia, where Cinderella will do anything to become its princess, and sheds new light on the fairytales Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel and Beauty & the Beast.

Our heroine, Filomena is back, and ready to make things right. Jack the Stalker, Alastair, and Gretel are helping her with her quest. Filomena is a great heroine, kicking butt with her friends and acquaintances, solving problems, and thinking critically. The danger and adventure add entertainment value, but are also written appropriately for a middle grades audience. There are ogres galore that need to be defeated and others who are in disguise. This is another fun outing in Never After with Filomena and the gang needing to right a wrong and save another kingdom from the Ogre Queen. What I love is the subtle theme about reading. Whenever there is travel between the two worlds it comes about because of a book. The message that reading takes us to magical places, allows us to connect with others and can even save our lives at times is easy to recognize (at least it is to me). Also themes of inner strength, friendship and perseverance show up with Filomena doing what she can to help her new friends. All of this is blended into a fun and adventurous story, I recommend. I listened to the second book in this series, narrated by Imani Jade Powers. She does a very good job with the story using her clear, strong voice. Using pacing, tone, and expression she added to my enjoyment of the story. Now that I have read one, and listened to one, I recommend either format, depending on your reading preferences. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.

4 stars

Two books in, I can confirm that this series is a hit for me so far.

Filomena Jefferson-Cho is no ordinary young person. She has access to entire other worlds outside of her hometown: Pasadena (in Southern California). What I love about Filomena's access point is that it all happens through her love of a fictionalized book series. Even the freshest readers will catch that reading can take us to magical places, tell us about our origins and our connections to others, and sometimes even save our lives. These deeper themes are all couched inside of a fun game of pairing fairy tale characters with their counterparts in the novel.

This installment, like its predecessor, features Filomena kicking butt with her friends and acquaintances, solving problems, and thinking critically. The danger and excitement are appropriate for the target audience, but they also add entertainment value.

I was thrilled to see that this second book in the series was coming out, and I am eagerly anticipating future installments.