Cloaked

In Cloaked Johnny, a lover of shoes, is approached by a princess who needs him to rescue her brother who has been turned into a frog by a witch.  She gives him a magic cloak, headphones that will let him talk to animals that used to be human and some money and some vague directions and sends him on his way.  Throughout his adventures he encounters giants, witches, men with guns and his best friend Meg and ends up with his own fairytale ending.

Cloaked, unlike Alex Flinn's other two fairy tale novels Beastly and A Kiss in Time is not just a modern retelling of one fairytale.  It takes elements from several less known fairy tales and combines them.  The result is a fun and original tale with just the right bit of romance and action.  It is a light and fluffy story and a very quick and easy read (I finished it in about three hours).

Appropriateness:  This is a book that can be enjoyed by the entire YA audience and even younger readers looking for romance.  The romance is sweet and not something that would intimidate young readers and there is no substance abuse or violence.  The lexile for this book is 580 putting it at a third or fourth grade reading level making it a perfect novel for reluctant middle school aged readers.

Review copy received from Amazon Vine