Mihi Ever After

Mihi Park wants nothing more than to be a princess, but her two former best friends now mock her for it. When she meets two new friends at school - Savannah and Reese - they discover a portal to a magical realm where they can live out their fairy tale dreams. The three girls enter a world of castles, magical creatures, and storybook adventures. However, they soon learn that being a real princess involves more responsibilities and challenges than they imagined. They must work together to navigate this new reality while keeping their magical secret safe. As Mihi faces tests both in the fairy tale world and at school, she grapples with what it means to be herself versus what others expect her to be. The story explores themes of friendship, self-acceptance, and finding the courage to stand up for what you believe in.

Readers appreciate the fresh take on fairy tale tropes and the focus on friendship over romance. Many note the book resonates with kids who feel like outsiders, with several reviews highlighting the authentic portrayal of social anxiety and fitting in at school. Parents mention the positive representation of Korean-American characters and interracial friendships. Some readers found the pacing slow in the first few chapters, and a few noted that younger readers might struggle with some vocabulary. Several reviews mentioned wanting more world-building about how the fairy tale realm worked. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (100+ ratings) BookPage: 5/5 Reader quotes: "My 9-year-old devoured it in two days" - Amazon reviewer "The friendship dynamics feel real and messy" - Goodreads review "Deals with complex emotions in a way kids can understand" - Barnes & Noble review "Would have liked more explanation of the magic rules" - Goodreads review

Wished by Barbara O'Connor A girl stumbles into a magical world through a wishing well and confronts questions of friendship and belonging.

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi A child enters a color-filled realm where magic comes with rules and where friendship proves essential for survival.

The Land of Yesterday by K.A. Reynolds A girl journeys through a door to a magical underworld to rescue her family while processing grief and loss.

The House of Lost Things by Sophie Anderson Two children discover a realm where lost objects collect and learn truths about what matters in life.

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe A young witch with limited magical abilities proves her worth through determination and heart rather than power.

🌟 Author Tae Keller won the 2021 Newbery Medal for her book "When You Trap a Tiger," making her one of the youngest recipients of this prestigious award 🏰 Though "Mihi Ever After" puts a fresh spin on fairy tales, it explores serious themes of friendship, identity, and belonging that resonate with modern middle-grade readers 🌈 The book features diverse characters, including the Korean-American protagonist Mihi, reflecting Tae Keller's own multicultural background 📚 The story challenges traditional fairy tale tropes by having its characters question and reimagine the "happily ever after" endings typically found in classic tales 🗝️ Each chapter begins with an enchanted object illustration, creating a visual connection between the real world and the magical fairy tale realm the characters discover