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Losing the Plot #2
Down the Plot Hole
A fun-filled fractured fairytale adventure in a very surprising, Grimm world.
'There’s a word missing.’ Terry pointed to the book. ‘The maid plucked the … ready for the spit.’ He flipped back a page. ‘It said she was sitting beside a black hen, right?’
It was true. The words ‘black hen’ were gone. All that remained was a larger-than-usual space. A gap. An emptiness. A hole … in the plot.
Neighbours and reluctant reading partners Basil and Terry are once again reading The Complete Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. Last time, they found themselves plunged into the fairytale world, where everyone was losing the plot. This time, words – well, chickens – are disappearing! Realising their fairytale friends are in danger of being sucked into oblivion by plot holes, the boys don’t hesitate before diving back into the Grimm world to warn them. It’s up to Basil and Terry to find out what’s going on and how to stop the plot holes from
destroying everything … including their way home.
Praise for Losing the Plot 'Perfect for kids who prefer their comedy action-packed, their epic adventures brimming with magic, and their fantastical stories jam-packed with laughs' Readings
'There’s a word missing.’ Terry pointed to the book. ‘The maid plucked the … ready for the spit.’ He flipped back a page. ‘It said she was sitting beside a black hen, right?’
It was true. The words ‘black hen’ were gone. All that remained was a larger-than-usual space. A gap. An emptiness. A hole … in the plot.
Neighbours and reluctant reading partners Basil and Terry are once again reading The Complete Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. Last time, they found themselves plunged into the fairytale world, where everyone was losing the plot. This time, words – well, chickens – are disappearing! Realising their fairytale friends are in danger of being sucked into oblivion by plot holes, the boys don’t hesitate before diving back into the Grimm world to warn them. It’s up to Basil and Terry to find out what’s going on and how to stop the plot holes from
destroying everything … including their way home.
Praise for Losing the Plot 'Perfect for kids who prefer their comedy action-packed, their epic adventures brimming with magic, and their fantastical stories jam-packed with laughs' Readings
- GenresFantasyMiddle Grade
192 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2025
About the author
Annaleise Byrd
6 books26 followersAnnaleise Byrd grew up on a farm in Queensland, ignoring most farm-related pursuits in favour of reading books. She then spent nine years in England and Canada, neglecting a variety of jobs in favour of reading books. Eventually, she realised the best way to get away with this was to become an author.
Annaleise now writes funny books for kids and lives in Brisbane with her husband, two young sons and rescue greyhound. Her debut middle grade novel, Losing the Plot, was published by Walker Books Australia in March 2024. It was followed by a sequel, Down the Plot Hole, in April 2025, along with her debut picture book, You Are Not a Pup!, with Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing.
Annaleise now writes funny books for kids and lives in Brisbane with her husband, two young sons and rescue greyhound. Her debut middle grade novel, Losing the Plot, was published by Walker Books Australia in March 2024. It was followed by a sequel, Down the Plot Hole, in April 2025, along with her debut picture book, You Are Not a Pup!, with Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 15, 2025
A fabulous sequel to Losing the Plot. Even more action and adventure and a lot more interaction with other characters in the Fairytale world. I love the mention of all the lesser known stories, it really makes me want to search them out.
January 27, 2026
A fabulous middle grade portal fantasy sequel. Fun and engaging to read with my boys - I hope there's more in this well-crafted, funny series.
August 19, 2025
This is a great sequel to “Losing the Plot.” I love the incredibly crazy acronyms and everything else that makes up Anna’s fantastic fairytale world.
May 12, 2026
Taking place just one week after the events in Losing the Plot, Basil embarks on another session of helping neighbor Terry with his reading. They’ve barely started when they notice that blocks of words are missing from The Complete Fairytales of the Brothers Grimm! After checking other tales, they notice that where stories previously mentioned chicken(s), there is now a blank space. Worried that this means another plot hole could be forming (putting their new friends from the fairytale world at risk), Basil and Terry decide to leap back into the story to try and help. But the problem may be larger than just a few missing chickens… and the fairytale characters the boys turn to for help may not be as trustworthy as they think. Basil shows some big character growth in Down the Plot Hole, where he must face his fears and in doing so, learns he is braver than he thought. Will Basil and Terry be able to put all the pieces together in time before the plot holes take over the fairytale world and block them from being able to return to their own world? You’ll have to read to find out. The majority of the characters cue as white.
Just like Losing the Plot, this fast-paced adventure with short chapters is both highly entertaining and full of clever world play. There is a very interesting plot point woven throughout about the varying degrees of importance between the suffering of humans and animals. There is even a hierarchy within the fairytale animals where some species see themselves as more evolved than others (“they’re just chickens, after all”).
For readers who pick this book up before Losing the Plot, Byrd does a great job of including enough background information to follow along. I would still recommend reading that book first in order to see how all of the characters connect and how earlier events influence what happens in this one. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
Just like Losing the Plot, this fast-paced adventure with short chapters is both highly entertaining and full of clever world play. There is a very interesting plot point woven throughout about the varying degrees of importance between the suffering of humans and animals. There is even a hierarchy within the fairytale animals where some species see themselves as more evolved than others (“they’re just chickens, after all”).
For readers who pick this book up before Losing the Plot, Byrd does a great job of including enough background information to follow along. I would still recommend reading that book first in order to see how all of the characters connect and how earlier events influence what happens in this one. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
April 17, 2026
What worked:
The main characters travel into Grimm’s fairy tales to correct gaps in the book’s text. Basil and Terry are the stars, and they’re tasked with finding missing sheep in different stories. Terry has a crush on Gretel, and she told the boys that plot holes are the worst thing that can happen. Members of FANCY are charged with locating and fixing any holes that develop. However, Gretel says the missing sheep aren’t a big problem, so there’s no need to worry. She seems to be echoing Herr Korbes’s words, but it doesn’t make any sense. Why isn’t the leader of FANCY concerned about plot holes that could destroy everything in the fairy tale world?
The story lets readers revisit familiar characters in new situations and exposes them to less familiar tales. Readers will know the Grimms’ tales of Hansel and Gretel and Sleeping Beauty, but their stories of The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage, The Pink, and Clever Grethel will be new. Characters from different tales interact, and they are aware of each other’s plots. Many fairy tales feature gruesome, gory storylines, and this issue is the main conflict. SAD EGGS and another group are frequent victims in these tales, and their protests are creating problems. Prejudice and assumptions create bad feelings, so Basil and Terry will need to find a way to bring everyone together.
What didn’t work as well:
Apparently, Terry and Basil aren’t friends, but the evidence contradicts that. They formed a bond after the events in the first book, but this time they show no friction toward each other. Also, the plot creates questions and contradictions that aren’t resolved.
The final verdict:
This book can be read independently of the first one. It has a fast-paced plot and unexpected twists that young readers will enjoy. I recommend you try this book yourself.
The main characters travel into Grimm’s fairy tales to correct gaps in the book’s text. Basil and Terry are the stars, and they’re tasked with finding missing sheep in different stories. Terry has a crush on Gretel, and she told the boys that plot holes are the worst thing that can happen. Members of FANCY are charged with locating and fixing any holes that develop. However, Gretel says the missing sheep aren’t a big problem, so there’s no need to worry. She seems to be echoing Herr Korbes’s words, but it doesn’t make any sense. Why isn’t the leader of FANCY concerned about plot holes that could destroy everything in the fairy tale world?
The story lets readers revisit familiar characters in new situations and exposes them to less familiar tales. Readers will know the Grimms’ tales of Hansel and Gretel and Sleeping Beauty, but their stories of The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage, The Pink, and Clever Grethel will be new. Characters from different tales interact, and they are aware of each other’s plots. Many fairy tales feature gruesome, gory storylines, and this issue is the main conflict. SAD EGGS and another group are frequent victims in these tales, and their protests are creating problems. Prejudice and assumptions create bad feelings, so Basil and Terry will need to find a way to bring everyone together.
What didn’t work as well:
Apparently, Terry and Basil aren’t friends, but the evidence contradicts that. They formed a bond after the events in the first book, but this time they show no friction toward each other. Also, the plot creates questions and contradictions that aren’t resolved.
The final verdict:
This book can be read independently of the first one. It has a fast-paced plot and unexpected twists that young readers will enjoy. I recommend you try this book yourself.
May 15, 2026
Terry and his neighbour, Bazil, have a book that acts as a magic portal when a swan bookmark is placed on its cover. While reading the story Sleeping Beauty, they discover a plot hole. A plot hole is when words are missing on a page causing a character to not be where the story needs them to be, so the story can’t continue how it’s meant to. If not repaired, plot holes can cause the entire fairytale world to implode.
Terry and Bazil travel into the book to tell Herr Korbes, the head of FANCY (The Fairytale Alliance Network of Character Yunions), who is responsible for dealing with plot holes. By doing this, Terry and Bazil are risking not being able to get home again. Inside the book, they discover, because of the plot holes, stories which contain chickens have lost their chickens. Then, mysteriously, all the animals from each story disappear. Terry and Bazil must find the missing animals and repair the plot holes before they are forever confined to the book’s imploding fairytale world. A fractured fairytale about treating animals well for children who enjoy magic and travel.
Terry and Bazil travel into the book to tell Herr Korbes, the head of FANCY (The Fairytale Alliance Network of Character Yunions), who is responsible for dealing with plot holes. By doing this, Terry and Bazil are risking not being able to get home again. Inside the book, they discover, because of the plot holes, stories which contain chickens have lost their chickens. Then, mysteriously, all the animals from each story disappear. Terry and Bazil must find the missing animals and repair the plot holes before they are forever confined to the book’s imploding fairytale world. A fractured fairytale about treating animals well for children who enjoy magic and travel.
June 27, 2025
The Sleeping Beauty
"The maid plucked the...ready for the spit. It said she was sittng beside a black hen right?"
The Pink
"Then came the old cook, who knew that the child had a power of wishing and stole it away ... and then it says he took, um, something - that's the bit that's missing- and cut it into pieces..."
When Terry and Basil discover a plot hole—multiple actually—, they know something's not right, and jumps into the world of fairytales. They immediately fall into a problem. Wishing for 'Gretel,' they land in 'Grethel?' The portals are scrambled, meaning this could affect them coming home! Follow Basil and Terry as they find the problem that's causing these plot holes—including involunteerily exploring one!
I love this series! I love the whole idea of adventuring the fairytale land, and how acronyms, like FANCY or SAD EGGS!
"The maid plucked the...ready for the spit. It said she was sittng beside a black hen right?"
The Pink
"Then came the old cook, who knew that the child had a power of wishing and stole it away ... and then it says he took, um, something - that's the bit that's missing- and cut it into pieces..."
When Terry and Basil discover a plot hole—multiple actually—, they know something's not right, and jumps into the world of fairytales. They immediately fall into a problem. Wishing for 'Gretel,' they land in 'Grethel?' The portals are scrambled, meaning this could affect them coming home! Follow Basil and Terry as they find the problem that's causing these plot holes—including involunteerily exploring one!
I love this series! I love the whole idea of adventuring the fairytale land, and how acronyms, like FANCY or SAD EGGS!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a cute follow up to Losing the Plot and I appreciate the spin this one takes in encouraging readers to think about other characters within the Grimm fairytales outside of the main characters.
I dare say that Basil and Terry just might be slowly forming a friendship too!
Advanced copy provided by Walker Books in exchange for an honest review.
I dare say that Basil and Terry just might be slowly forming a friendship too!
Advanced copy provided by Walker Books in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews