Long Live the Queen

Gr 4–6—Twelve-year-old Elspeth Pule lives in two worlds: our ordinary world, called the Deadlands, and the land of nursery rhymes, called New Winkieland. Swallow quickly brings new readers up to speed in this sequel to Blue in the Face, and Elspeth is called back to New Winkieland to help in an emergency. The Queen, Elspeth's old doll who came to life in Winkieland, has been kidnapped by evil witch Mary Mary Quite Contrary. Elspeth; her real parents, Jack and Jill; pals Humpty and Bo Peep; and others must rescue the Queen and keep the kingdom from falling into chaos. The classic reluctant hero proves up to the task when her friends are in trouble, and shows herself to be someone on whom the kingdom can rely. The author ends most chapters with a twisted, sometimes gross, but always hilarious version of familiar nursery rhymes. The world-building of New Winkieland is imaginative and tongue-in-cheek. Kids will enjoy recognizing well-known nursery characters in these warped forms.