Another exciting bookish adventure with the Pages and Co crew! This is a fun and interesting set up for a kids book, and one that will hugely reward those with a love of books. I enjoyed the first book very much, and this continues in a very similar vein: literary nods (this time fairy tales!), mild peril, and a warm, loving family feel.

My one niggle is that it suffers from the same lack of pacing at the end that the first book had - the big bad is wrapped up 90% of the way, then nobody does anything about it and they all go home and the book ends. Things are left very much up in the air and require the next book to be solved in full, but this doesn't feel like a cliffhanger, more just that the book cut off before the final climax. Book 3 will presumably provide the resolution, but it feels badly paced. While I overlooked this as a slightly clunky attempt to provide a hook into the series in the first book, here it starts to feel as though you're cheated of a proper ending. I'd really like to see this sorted out in future books. Normal plot structure requires a rise to a climax, then shorter falling action, then the resolution and end - even if threads are left open for future books, that main climax has to be wrapped up and the adventure somewhat self-contained. It's annoying and dissatisfying to have the book cut right after the climax, without the falling action or resolution.

However, this is not to say I didn't enjoy this! I liked seeing the fairy tales go wrong, the rather literal interpretation of plot holes, the acknowledgement that people make mistakes, and the casual line that indicates one of the adult side characters is bisexual, which is not something I've seen in MG before, and which I really valued. It's a fun, smart read, and well worth giving to children who love books.

After reading book one (Tilly and the Book Wanderers) in this delightful series earlier this year and loving it, I was so desperate to read book two and was over the moon when I received an early copy! I was so excited to get back into Tilly’s world of book wandering once more.

Tilly and the Lost Fairytales picks up just after where book one ended and does a great job at reminding you of what happened in Tilly and The Book Wanderers, which in my opinion is great for those of us who tend to forget what’s happened in a previous book in a series. We see how Tilly’s mum is adapting to her new life, how the underlibrary is adapting after the events of book one and ultimately how Tilly is adjusting to life as a book wanderer, with some fairy tale magic woven in.

First up, I just want to say that the main setting in this book was just beautiful! We are put right into the heart of Paris at Christmastime as if I’m being honest, it got me into the festive mood despite me reading this in August at the height of summer. The descriptions of the city and it’s bookshops had me aching to plan a trip there during the winter and I know I’ll have to visit it at christmastime someday.

In the first book of this series, despite it being amazing I felt like not everyone knew the book characters that were featured. However, as Tilly and the Lost Fairytales focuses on yep you guessed it fairytales, I feel like all readers will know the book characters involved in the plot line. This, in turn, will help readers become immersed in the magic of book wandering and make them wish they could book wander too.

The plot in Tilly and the Lost Fairytales certainly took you on a big journey and yes, there were many twists and turns and at times, shocks. The fact that you got to visit different fairytales and meet characters such as Prince Charming and Rapunzel just made it for me. You get to see an almost different side to these fairytales characters that you have grown up with and it just makes the whole book that little bit more unique.

The dynamic between Tilly and best friend Oskar was just, well, lovely. Usually in fiction the secondary character is just seen as a sidekick but this wasn’t the case. I felt like both characters came into their own a lot more in book two and their character development just grew tremendously. I got to know both of them personally and their strong friendship is one that I’m sure will continue to develop during the next book. Tilly and Oskar are certainly a dynamic duo!

Pages & Co: Tilly and the Lost Fairytales was a great sequel to what is looking set to be one of my favourite middle grade series of all time. It was beautifully written with book lovers in my mind, and you can really tell how much passion Anna James has for literature through this incredible world.

This is a very welcome return to the magical bookshop of Pages & Co with its close-knit bookwandering family. This time Tilly and her best friend Oskar find themselves wandering through Fairy tale Land to try to save these wonderful tales from becoming lost to readers forever.

Melville Underwood has mysteriously returned to the British Underlibrary, having disappeared many years previously during a book wandering tour, and is made Head Librarian. Immediately, he begins to change the rules for bookwanderers, but for what purpose?

When visiting Oskar’s father in Paris, Tilly and Oskar meet an old, estranged friend of Tilly’s Grandmother who encourages them to bookwander into fairy tales. Despite warnings to the contrary from her Grandparents, Tilly decides to do some investigating of her own in this land. And what an incredible land it is!

I loved the richly drawn world of the fairy tales and its wonderful inhabitants from the kind-hearted, brave Jack to the independent, feminist Rapunzel to the rather playfully devious Hansel and Gretel. I loved how familiar fairy tales are overturned and how characters travel between stories, and know each other within this world. Unfortunately, this magical world is in danger of disappearing, and it is up to Tilly and Oskar to attempt to save fairy tales from becoming forever lost.

Although Tilly loves her Grandparents dearly, she does not agree with all their decisions, and definitely has a strong will which makes her rather rebellious and determined to make her own choices, including wandering into fairy tale land when she has been expressly forbidden. This leads to adventure, wonderful interactions with fairy tale characters, the discovery of important clues, but also danger. Tilly is clever, quick-thinking and resourceful and is very capable of extricating herself from difficult situations, but she can also be impetuous and too trusting which puts her in danger. She is by no means perfect, and this makes her a very believable character, and made me like her even more.

Books welcome everyone who wants to explore them.

As a teacher, I loved the references to the power and importance of reading.

I really enjoyed Tilly’s second adventure which resolves some problems, leaves a few others unresolved, but drops enough tantalising clues to set up Tilly’s next adventure perfectly, and I’m already looking forward to going bookwandering with her again. I would highly recommend this magical read for children of 8+.

I absolutely loved this sequel in the Pages & Co series. Even as an adult I thought that it continued to be completely magical and unique! I loved the Paris at Christmas setting and was completely drawn into the fairytale stories. I am so looking forward to going to America and meeting the Archivists in the next book!

Thank you for the copy. I saw a photo of the finished hardback version with the sprayed edges and it looks just as special as the story!

I absolutely adored the first Pages & Co and this one didn’t disappoint. The story was engaging and loved all the characters as much as I did in the first one. Can’t wait to find out what happens next

A fantastic next installment in the Pages & Co series. This one builds on the drama from the previous book but has a slightly sinister undertone that I think children will love. Tilly, her friends and her family continue to work together bravely to overcome problems and challenges within the Underlibrary and their lives. It's a real treat for book lovers as this time characters from Fairy Tales are woven into the story - I felt that in the previous book, children may not have known some of the characters, but they would definitely recognise everyone from this book. The collision of 'fiction' and 'reality' is something new for children's literature and Anna James has created a very convincing world, full of very real characters with flaws and challenges to overcome. Will definitely be adding it to my school library shelves and putting it in the hands of as many book worms as I can find!

This is the second book in the Pages and Co series which follows a girl Tilly, and her friend Oskar as they ‘bookwander’, that is travel into books and have adventures, interacting with characters and having a wonderful time. Imagine being able to have a picnic with mole in Wind in the Willows, or escape from the Red Queen in Through the Looking Glass.

Tilly lives in her grandparents bookshop and they try to protect her from the dangers of book wandering and the Underlibrary, who are responsible for looking after and maintains stories.

This book was inevitable given the dangling plot threads in the first one, and this story spins off in a whole new direction with intrigue, and venture and a foray into the current political climate and the rise of uninformed, hysterical leaders who only want to act for their interests. Possibly the first middle grade book I’ve read with an allusion to Brexit and far right nationalism!

As before this is nostalgically and beautifully written, by an author who equally loves books and adventure. It maintains a middle grade level of danger, along with likeable characters and a sense of expansion for the fictional world James has created.

There are twists and turns and getting lost in a good book will never feel the same again. The only downside is this is very much a middle book, so it widens and deepens bookwandering, without providing a firm conclusion to anything, so is the very definition of leaving you wanting more.
A brilliant wintry read with a chunk of the book taking place in a close to a Christmas setting. Really lovely.

I really enjoyed the second book in the Pages and Co series. Tilly is such a bright curious character and Oskar is the best of best friends. The Paris setting and Oskar's family was a really interesting first half (seeing another Underlibrary was fun too) and the twists and turns of the second half was engaging and got to a point where I couldn't put it down. Very much enjoyed and looking forward to the next one.

A solid 4.5 stars.

I loved meeting Tilly and following her on her first adventure in book wandering. I love a sequel and a series even more. It gives you more time to learn about the characters, their world and to go on extra adventures! I am crossing my fingers that there might be more from Tilly, her family and best friend Oskar.

Tilly is ready for more adventures in book wandering but circumstances have changed in the Under Library and there is a new Head Librarian. Changes are being enforced and the Pages family are not thrilled with this new leader or his ideas and plans. They have asked Tilly to stay out of books for a little while and she reluctantly agrees.

An adventure in Paris, leads Tilly and Oskar to discover some secrets that have them book wandering in fairytales. Fairytales are notoriously dangerous as their worlds are not always mapped and it can be harder to find your way home. Chance encounters with the Under Library in Paris, lead Tilly on an even greater mystery than the fairytales. She is given some items that may help her but she is not yet sure how.

We get to meet some of our favourite fairytale characters in this book, including Jack, Red, Rapunzel and Prince Charming. The three bears even make an appearance. I love fairytales!
Anne Shirley returns with some sage advice, so linking the first book and proving that friends can be made with book characters.

I want to say so much more but wouldn’t want to give away any clues or spoilers.
Rest Assured dear readers, this is one to read and share. It is as lovely as the first book and you delve a bit deeper into the history of the Pages family, the reason why fairytales are so dangerous and we learn much more about Oskar!

I loved it and know that a third must be in the plans!