Bad Hair Day

Whatever After #5

by Sarah Mlynowski

After a tough day at school, I am NOT in a good mood. The perfect pick-me-up? A trip through our magic mirror! When my brother and I -- plus our new dog -- end up in the story of Rapunzel, we can't resist climbing her hair. Oh no! Her smooth locks suddenly look like they've been attacked by a cheese grater. Maybe a trim will help...Snip, snip. SNIP. Oops. Now Rapunzel's hair is too short and we're trapped!

So we have to:
-Find the tower's secret door
-Avoid getting swallowed by a giant spider
-Locate Pickles (aka the prince)
-Reunite Rapunzel with her parents

If we don't untangle this knotty tale soon, we could be stuck in this mess for good!

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Audiobook, Retellings, Fiction

165 pages, Hardcover

First published April 29, 2014

About the author

Sarah was born in Montreal, Canada. After graduating with an honors degree in English literature from McGill University, she moved to Toronto to work for Harlequin Enterprises. While she never met Fabio, she used her romance publishing experiences to fuel her first novel Milkrun.

Since then, Sarah has written four additional novels for adults: Fishbowl, As Seen on TV, Monkey Business, and Me vs. Me; the New York Times bestselling middle grade series Whatever After; the middle grade series Upside-Down Magic (with Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins); and the teen novels Bras & Broomsticks, Frogs & French Kisses, Spells & Sleeping Bags, and Parties & Potions (all in the Magic in Manhattan series), as well as Gimme a Call, Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have), Don't Even Think About It, Think Twice, and I See London, I See France. Along with Lauren Myracle and E. Lockhart, Sarah also wrote How to Be Bad, and along with Farrin Jacobs, she wrote See Jane Write, a guide to writing. Sarah also co-edited two bestselling charity collections (Girls' Night In and Girls' Night Out), and has contributed to various anthologies (American Girls About Town, Sixteen: Stories About That Sweet and Bitter Birthday, 21 Proms, First Kiss (Then Tell), Fireworks, and Vacations from Hell).

Sarah is also a co-founder of OMG BookFest, a celebration of books aimed at the early to middle grade reader (ages 7-12) that brings together commercial and award-winning authors with underserved local communities for an exciting experience of books, games and activities.

Sarah's books have been translated into twenty-nine languages and optioned to Hollywood. She now lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series continues to have a strong narrator in Emily Eiden. Her performance is spot on. I was looking forward to this retelling of Rapunzel and really enjoyed it. As with earlier installments, the kids find themselves changing the fairy tale a bit. In this case they have to cut some of Rapunzel's hair and that causes a whole lot of other issues. Loved the Haxi (horse taxi) concept and the herb garden at Frau Gothel's house and the names for her pets like Cinnamon, the Aardvark. I do not want to meet her tarantula, Nutmeg. Prince goes along with Josh and Abby and did a bit too much barking as far as I'm concerned.

[BookCupid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby and Jonah really messed up this time, when after unintentionally climbing Rapunzel's hair with soccer cleats, they opt to cut it off. Now they need to find a way to get out of the tower and convince Rapunzel that there is a better life out there -- even when you have short hair.

I loved how they both decided to take an adventure this time on purpose. After all the worlds they experienced, and folks they met, it's not that farfetched that they've developed some sort of addiction. Mlynowski hit book number five of the series and still managed to create humorous dialect and situations. Great work overall.

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes..
Read it, it was A, AMAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZING

So..
I am finished!
Whoever is reading this comment, PLEASE READ THIS STORYYYYYYYYYYY!
😍

[Rasta Nasseri · Rating 4 out of 5]

من این مجموعه را به امید این که به این جلدش برسم خواندم
اون طور که فکر می کردم جالب نبود و تحت تعسیر قرار نگرفتم 😕
با فیلمش خیلی فرق می کرد
آدم را به دل شور می انداخت
اما کتابی بود که ارزش ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️را داشت و به شما هم خودش و مجموعه ی قصه ها عوض می شوند را پیشنهاد می کنم😺

[Arisha (Free Palestine 🇵🇸) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would make such a good TV-Y7 animated tv show

[Chelsey Wolford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a dedicated fan of this series! At the beginning of this year I vowed to read more middle grade fiction, and while I have not been doing so well with that resolution, I never fail to pick up the next book in this series. Abby and Jonah are two siblings who once stumbled upon a magic mirror that has the ability to take them into fairytales. This is the fifth book in the series, so they have already visited fairy tales like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. This book takes them back to visit the fair and beautiful princess who was locked away in a tower. Yep, that’s right none other than Rapunzel herself!

The books usually start with Abby and Jonah somehow getting the fairy tale a little backwards. They usually do something that throws the natural sequence of events out of whack, and then it is up to them to solve it and make it right so that these fairy tales can play out the way we have always known them. Abby and Jonah make a great team and these books really teach sibling love. Even though they do get frustrated with each other at times, they still love one another and trust one another through thick and thin. There really is a great message here.

This series has been so sweet, and I don’t think the author is finished yet. I am so glad because this is just the type of books that I would love to have my own children become fascinated with. I can’t decide which of these books might possibly be my favorite because they are all filled with humor and lots of fun. Of course this is a quick read, and I do encourage you to get a young child interested in reading by introducing them to this series!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Scholastic Press in exchange for my honest review***

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby had a bad day at school and Jonah said that they should go through the magic mirror to cheer her up. So, they went through the mirror and when they landed, Abby fell in a pile of mud. She was so bad and was still sad from her day at school. Jonah helped her up. Then, after Abby got cleaned off a little, Jonah and her looked around. They found a really tall tower. Abby knew than, that they were in Rapunzel. Then, Abby yelled "Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair." It worked! Abby and Jonah started to climb her hair. A few minutes later they were at the top. They talked to Rapunzel for awhile, but then just before Abby and Jonah were about to leave, Rapunzel asked them if they would help her get out of the tower, so that she could be free. They said that they would help, but that they didn't know how. Just then, Rapunzel jumped out of the tower and fell on her feet. From the tower, Abby and Jonah yelled to her. They asked if she was okay. Rapunzel said that she couldn't see them and that her eye sight was gone. Will Rapunzel get her eye sight back? Read the book if you want to find out.

I liked this book because Abby and Jonah and Rapunzel all really like each other and they are great friends. Also, I think that it is cool how Jonah and Abby keep going though the magic mirror and they don't worry about what is going to happen when they go in. There is one thing that I didn't like about this book. When you jump, you don'y lose you eye sight. You just hurt your feet or something else. This book is funny and sweet and you should read this book.

[Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE this series! I strongly recommend it!

[Sarah K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great quick read fantasy book!

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading these stories with my girls for over 6 years now. I read a few of these stories with my oldest starting in 2016. Now my youngest is reading them to me, and her sister has handed down the first several stories in the series. We had started reading them in 2016 but my oldest skipped around a bit and read a couple of volumes to her Aunt and Grandma while on a road trip. So this was my first time encountering this specific story. My youngest insists we review everything that we read together, so this review from 2022 is part of that effort. Between reading with my oldest and youngest this is the fourteenth time I have read a book in this series. The stories have great staying power. Even as an adult I can enjoy these books, not only the first time but rereading them again and again.

Mlynowski has done a wonderful job with this book and the whole series so far. My oldest was a reluctant reader. Back then when we read, I would read two pages for every page she read to me. The whole family loves these stories from 8-years old to 80 years old. It is a great series. The stories are fun and entertaining, but also have some valuable lessons and insight. My mother in law recalls my oldest reading this to her on the road trip and enjoying the story greatly.

My youngest daughter and I give this story a solid 4/5 stars, and she really wanted to give it 4.5 stars. She would have given it 5 but she really did not like part of the story where Rapunzel went back to the safety and comfort of the tower. She was concerned that Jonah and Prince were going to be permanently blue, and that they might never get out of the story and back home.

We always enjoy Mlynowski’s twists on old tales. In this one there were some great lessons. Not only for Rapunzel but also for Abby and Jonah. This story is another great take on a familiar tale. The writing in these stories is excellent. My daughters and I love reading them together. And the retelling of this story surprised both of us at several different points. It is a great book in an excellent series.

[Nowarish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent adventure
I like the prince dog

[Myrtle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unpredictable and good although Rapunzel got on my nerves and I could do without the romance at the end

[~Bellegirl91~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was just adorable! So much fun and absolutely hilarious as usual particularly on Jonah's end who I think is the funniest thing in this book. Even when he learned the "I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves" song. *laughing* I swear these books have actually gotten cuter and funnier as they go on with each book. Now I can't wait to see what happens next for Abby and Jonah after the way this one ended!


And as for any parent out there: if you want a good book for your kids to read, have them read these since they're fun, clean, and perfect even for boys who I think would relate to and love Jonah while the girls would be the same but with Abby. I also feel like they're for adults too who loves and/or likes fairytales and these kids' fractured fairytale stories are so much fun and super clever , that's for sure. HIGHLY recommend these no matter what age you are. They're becoming my new favorite series and I can't get enough of them! :D

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay so I'm convinced that I'm going to like some fairy tale characters much better than others. While this one was definitely an improvement from the last book, I still didn't really click with the characters. I think that Rapunzel lacked the confidence I would have expected that ultimately ended up making her shallow. I just want the characters to go back to those fierce individuals they were in the first three books. They showed that girls didn't have to follow in the typical footsteps of the princesses they were used to seeing and for some reason I feel like we're losing a little bit of that in this novel and the past one.

What I will say I loved is the audiobook! It was amazing as always and I'm glad our narrator actually knew how to sing. It added to the overall atmosphere of the novel and I completely enjoyed it.

I probably will be doing a review of this novel and the 2-4 novels sometime soon. I'm going to continue to see if these novels get back to the old ones I'm used to seeing and experiencing.

[Mari Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very cute and popular fractured fairy tale chapter book series. I found this one a little silly and slightly preachy for my taste. The message of, you are more than your looks and your successes and failures, is a good message, but one that was harped on ad nauseam. Still, I think fans of this series and its target audience of girls in grades 1-4 will enjoy it.

[Megan Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this version of the Rapunzel story! I thought it was so fun. And I was waiting for the installment when there would be a close call with their parents and it finally happened! I’m intrigued now to see how this will play out. I just adore these books.

[Rosey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading this book but didn't like it so I never finished. For me it was just not a great book.

[Kylie Abecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was jot only annoyingly predictable, but the characters Abby and Jonah were pathetically dense. I found it frustrating to read. A teeth-grinding book - and not of the enjoyable kind.

[Barclay McFadden · Rating 1 out of 5]

Predictable

I read this book and had to put it down it was so predictable. It is an easy reader but it should have been called a predictable reader

[Kenzie Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the part when they met Rapunzel.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book Abby and her little brother Jonah went inside their magic mirror and went to visit the real Rapunzel! At first, Abby didn’t want to go because she was already very sad about not winning the spelling bee in spelling. Why are you sad? Asked Jonah. I won the spelling bee in grade three grade four but what about grade five l came in... ninth. What? Jonah said shocked. Yes, Abby replied. The word l got stuck on was Cinnamon. Oh said Jonah today was a very good day for me! Why? Asked Abby. First, l got new soccer cleats and second, l learned a new song. Nice said Abby. Hey l have an idea, maybe we should go through the magic mirror again at night again suggested Jonah. No thanks said Abby. I can’t hear l can’t hear you teased Jonah. I will wake you up at night so we can go to the basement and go visit another fairy tale! No thanks said Abby the second time. However it was to late Jonah had walked away. At night Jonah did exactly what he said he was going to do to Abby. So Abby had no choice but to follow her little brother through the magic mirror. After Abby and Jonah knocked a few times on the mirror they were in the fairy tale of Rapunzel! Abby and Jonah looked around they saw Rapunzel’s tower and a long brown braid. Hmm l thought Rapunzel’s hair was blond Jonah said. Me too Abby agreed. I just really want to meet Rapunzel said Abby. Then let’s go answered Jonah. Okay Abby said. They went to the bottom of Rapunzel’s tower and called up Rapunzel Rapunzel! Let down your hair! Then the most beautiful hair they ever seen went sliding down the tower to the ground. Go first! Jonah said quickly. Okay Abby said calmly. How do you climb her hair and into the tower? After Jonah taught Abby how to climb the tower she immediately went up. When she got up she saw Rapunzel oh you are not the witch she said terrifyingly and threw arm around herself to protect herself. Don’t worry l’m harmless and l only came to say hello Abby replied calmly. Oh said Rapunzel, her shoulders relaxed. Can my brother Jonah come up your beautiful hair too? Okay said Rapunzel. After Jonah came up Rapunzel’s hair was a mess. Abby spot Jonah’s soccer cleats. Hey Jonah! You are not supposed to wear your soccer cleats while climbing someone’s hair! Abby shot Jonah a dirty look. Sorry l guess l shouldn’t have wear them to any fairy tales. Now what Abby sighed we ruined Rapunzel’s beautiful hair, and now she is so upset! Can Abby and Jonah fix Rapunzel’s hair, or will they be stuck in this fairy tale for good!? Find out in Whatever After Bad Hair Day!!!

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was added to bar, a platform for blind people to get digital books, later than the first four. Bard has a lot of books, but it does not have all of them. We were all really excited when we found this one. By the way, there will be spoilers in this review.
This book is about Abby and Jonah going into Rapunzel. My favorite part was probably when Jonah got the onions and Abby didn’t know what he was doing. I can’t remember when I figured it out. I just know that this time, I didn’t remember until almost the last minute. Also, for some reason, I liked it when Jonah had figured something out, but Abby had not.
I can kind of see that happening with parents, too. It was funny when prince tangled The sorceress. I’m not sure how to spell her name. I listen to this book on audio. The dog, prince, is really cute.
It’s interesting how much I’m realizing when I read these books. I’m realizing more this time than I have before. For example, before, I was not sure if Jonah looked up the word quandary or not. Now I know that he couldn’t have because at the beginning of the book, he stated, “I don’t know how to spell cinnamon or Quandre either.“
That proves that he had to have looked it up.
When Gwen first read this book, and Jonah asked if a quandary was a place to put ducks, she said she had thought the same thing.
This was another book that I listened to the beginning of over and over again, but there’s good news about that. I’ll most likely never forget how to spell cinnamon or quandary. :-) although, if I am ever asked to spell frown Goethals name, I’m in trouble. :-)

[Kelsey Schense · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary:
Abby and Jonah have a magical mirror in their basement that allows them to enter into fairy tales. When Abby has a rough day at school, her little brother, Jonah, thinks a trip through the magic mirror will be just what she needs. When the clock strikes midnight, they venture through the mirror and find themselves in the magical word of Rapunzel. After finally finding Rapunzel and climbing up her luscious locks, they look like they have been hacked with an axe. With a new short haired Rapunzel and no way out of the tower, Abby and Jonah must find a way to unscrew up the story and give Rapunzel the happily ever after she deserves.

Questions:
1. Draw yourself with a new haircut.
2. If you had a magical mirror, which fairy tale would you chose to visit?
3. Rapunzel worries about her hair. Abby worries about the spelling bee. What is something you worry about? Why do you worry about it?
4. In the beginning of the book, Abby loses the spelling bee that she was confident she was going to win. Has there ever been a time in your life you thought you were going to do really good at something, but didn’t? What do you think went wrong? Explain.
5. What do you predict would happen if Abby and Jonah were unable to return to their own world and had to stay in the world of Rapunzel forever? How would the ending be different?

Mlynowski, S. (2014). Whatever after: Bad hair day. New York: Scholastic Press

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great story in the Whatever After series.

In this book, Abby and Jonah visit Rapunzel. They explore some of the problems with the fairytale, and learn new things. For example, Rapunzel is always illustrated as a girl with blonde hair, but in this story her hair was brown. They also investigate the idea that Rapunzel was trapped in the tower with no other way for people to get in and out than climbing her hair. The witch had to get her into the tower some how, so the kids look for a hidden staircase that leads up the tower. I loved the way they searched for answers to the plot holes in the story.

They also give a little more background to the characters. In the last story, one of Abby’s friends accidentally joins them on their trip. This story begins with Abby being upset about losing the spelling bee at school. I love this insight into their regular lives because most of the stories are spent in the fairy tale world.

I’m in love with this series! It’s so much fun!

[Raine Villanueva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Abby was lost in a Spelling Bee and placed in the ninth place, and she felt bad about it. Her brother, Jonah got his new soccer cleats. Abby and Jonah has their own magic mirror hidden at their basement, and when they sneaked there that midnight along with their new puppy, Prince, they were transported to Rapunzel's Story. As the two went to Rapunzel's tower and meeting the princess, but the siblings accidentally destroyed her long precious hair.

As Frau Gothel sneaks to trick Rapunzel, they are going to hide somewhere else, and along the way she needs another happy ending - will she meet the Prince and reunite with her parents? Can Abby learn her true lesson?

The Whatever After series by Sarah Mlynowski has lots of fairytales the siblings are heading though, with plot twists to expect and a different "happily ever after" to make. It's a modern fairytale young girls will discover not just to love but to learn moral lessons by Abby. This book is such a true gem, which is very hilarious than ever.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this at a thrift store, I snatched it up. I remembered reading the first one, and I wondered if the other stories could hold the same amount of charm.

The answer is yes. If you enjoy fractured fairy tales, you will love this. If your kids love fairy tales ( and aren't sticklers for how they are supposed to be), they will love these stories.

And the stories come back around. Abby starts off the story, upset that she didn't win the spelling bee. Her brother says a trip into fairy tale land will boost her spirits. He's not wrong. It just doesn't happen like he thought it would.

They jump right into Rapunzel's story, and every step they take messes stuff up more. They are not helping Rapunzel. They are making her miserable. On top of that, Abby's brother Jonah won't listen to her, and Abby is just as miserable.

But just like before, even with all of the crazy mixed up things, eventually, the story finds its way back to where it belongs. It's not the same but still happily ever after. Along with that , Abby finds out something about herself along the way.

[Carly S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this was a fabulous book! I rated it 5 stars because it was so interesting! I never wanted to put the book down! This book is about a girl named Abby and her brother Jonah who have a magic mirror in their basement. They realized that they were in the fairy tale Rapunzel after they messed up her story! They cut her hair too short so now their trapped in the tower, then they tried to find the tower's secret door, and finally they have to avoid getting swallowed by a giant spider! Not only that but they also have to reunite Rapunzel with her parents! But as usual things kept getting worse and worse! Will they be able to fix Rapunzel's story before it's too late? Read the book and you'll find out!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a bit more interesting retelling of the fairy tale than some in this series, although the actual writing was particularly repetitive in this book (massive overuse of gerund phrases after the verb, like “he said, excitedly” or “she said, meaning it”—which exact phrase was used at least three times). I did find out though that this narrator has an absolutely lovely singing voice; the lullabies she sings as Rapunzel in this book are beautiful.

I might have a permanent grudge against the book for introducing my kids to the song “I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves” though. Side eyes at the author because guess what my kids are doing RIGHT NOW. 😑

[Aiko (Temiko) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but not memorable.

It's strange because Rupunzel is my favorite fairy tale. However, I didn't remember the plot (or remember reading it) since I read it the first time back in elementary school and only recalled that I had read it before after re-reading again this time. Perhaps I was unsatisfied with the ending. I think of all the stories in this series I've read so far, I don't see much of a correlation between Abby's real-life lesson and the lesson they took away from visiting the Rupunzel story.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby and her younger brother Jonah have a secret. There is a magic mirror - a portal - in their basement. This is their fifth adventure into fairytales, and this time it is Rapunzel they meet. Somehow they end up changing the story, and this time is no different. They get into trouble, and meet the evil witch, and try to save Rapunzel.
Quite a twist on the original story but young readers will really enjoy the fun in this chapter book.