This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 Who doesn't love fairy tale retellings? They have that air of familiarity with just a splash of extra creativity that at once makes us feel both homey and adventurous. 
 In a Glass Grimmly is no exception to the above description. Following the adventures of Jack and his cousin Jill, Adam Gidtwitz approaches a number of familiar tales, like Jack and the Beanstalk, The Emperor's New Clothes and the Frog Prince and spins them in a way that is both humorous and kid friendly. When I started reading this collection I had assumed it was a grouping of separate stories but I was pleased to find that Gidwitz had combined the stories, making each one a stop on Jack and Jill's over-arching quest. 
 I think the big selling factor of this book is Adam Gidwitz's fabulous sense of humour. It's dark, and a little gruesome, but always hilarious. It reminded me of the humour in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Jokes about turning back, about the next part being so gruesome, so horrible that you might want to skip over it (or go do something pleasant) - they made me want to keep reading. And I was always eager to see what remarks he would come up with next. 
 My favourite character by far, however, was not Jack or Jill or even the humorous narrator. It was The Frog. You meet him first, in a very upsetting and tragic rendition of The Frog Prince and he sticks with you for the entire adventure. He gets mistreated and is often ignored, but he's funny, intelligent and is often a much needed voice of reason. I thought he was a neat addition to the regular old Jack and Jill. 
 In a Glass Grimmly, despite its dark tales and gruesome humour has a lovely ending. A nice mixture of different fairy tale morals and being yourself rather than trying to only impress others. It left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling afterwards and I couldn't wait to share this book with the children in my life. 
 Recommendation: Great for young, reluctant readers. It's especially fun to read together!