Would you send a villain to do a hero's job?
Fairy Tale Reform School is Jen Calonita's first Middle Grade series. It takes place in a Fantasy setting where several Fairy Tale characters and species live in the realm of Enchantasia.In the Enchantasia village lives Gillian Cobbler, a commoner who lives in an oversized yet cramped boot in the poorer side of town. Though she wouldn't call herself wicked, she developed some proficiency in theft, which helped a bit. That is... until she gets caught and whisked away to Fairy Tale Reform School, where former villains and delinquents are taught how to be good, and are taught by those who were former villains themselves. However, Gillian would soon learn that there was more to this school than its heroic initiative; conflict was afoot that deemed the fate of Enchantasia at stake.
The series' books are:
- Flunked (2015)
- Charmed (2016)
- Tricked (2017)
- Switched (2018)
- Wished (2019)
- Cursed (2020)
This magical series provides examples of:
- Arbitrary Skepticism: Despite the world Enchantasia is in being a Fantasy Kitchen Sink, the existence of certain creatures, such as gargoyles, are seen as myths.
- Fantasy Kitchen Sink: Multiple Fairy Tale characters from various stories exist in this world.
- Heel–Face Turn: Many are meant to happen considering this is a reform school for former villains and delinquents.
- Flora (Ella's evil stepmother) made one before the start of the series after society dejected her for abusing Ella. To be a better example to her daughters, she changed her ways and opened Fairy Tale Reform School to help others reform as well.
- All the teachers at FTRS were initial baddies, such as those formerly known as: the Big Bad Wolf, Evil Queen, the Sea Siren and Blackbeard.
- Verbed Title: Every book in the series so far consists of one, each title relating to the plot of its story.
- What Are You in For?: A question which surfaces multiple times to satisfy the curiosity of how some attendants of FTRS ended up there in the first place.
Character page for all the books in Jen Calonita's Fairy Tale Reform School. Minor spoilers unmarked. You Have Been Warned
Main FTRS students
Gillian Cobbler
The main protagonist who started out as a petty thief to make ends meet as her family was rather poor. Getting caught on her third offense sends her to FTRS, and propels the series in motion from there.
- Affectionate Nickname: "Gilly"
- Street Smart: She knows plenty of "thief rules", and how to replace a slipped up lie with a second one on the fly.
- Locked into Strangeness: Jocelyn bewitched Gillian to have a permanent purple blue streak in her hair.
- Tom Boy: Even mentioned as one in her introduction; Gillian is by no means a tame girl. Pink pretty princesses? Barf. Though this could have resulted from living on the Wrong Side of the Tracks.
- Wrong Side of the Tracks: As a result of royals sending the fairy godmother their shoe orders instead of traditional cobblers, income is scarcer for shoe makers. Gillian is stuck living in a boot with 5 siblings and parents, so she took up thieving to keep her siblings fed enough.
Jax Porter
- Really Royalty Reveal: He is the separated younger brother of Rapunzel, born when she was still stuck in the tower. They were never reunited until Book 2 note
Kayla
Fairy
- Broken Bird: Resultant of her family disappearing due to a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, then having to be a spy for Gottie while attending FTRS. She appears all around miserable and tired by the end of the first book.
Maxine
An ogre who attends FTRS.
- Gonky Femme: Justified, as she is an ogre. She has warty skin, a lazy eye, a giant girth, and she's the tallest girl in the school, but she loves cute things and aspires to be a royal lady-in-waiting.
Ollie
Pirate boi.
Jocelyn
An older student at FTTS who is also the younger sister of Professor Harlow (aka The Evil Queen). Originally a jerky sorceress, she later softens up and becomes a formidable ally to the main cast.
Family of FTRS
Drisella and Azael(?)
The two daughters of Flora, and formerly Cinderella's step-sisters. They reformed with their mother's help, and are now the first commoners to attend Royal Academy.
Gillian's family
The Cobblers, consisting of Gilly's parents, and her siblings Han, Hamish, Trixie, Felix and Anna. (Anna has her own folder in this subheading) Anna
Gillian Cobbler's youngest sister. Gilly tried to nab a royal's neglected hair clip as a birthday gift for Anna, but that was the caper that got her sent to FTRS.
- The Only Way They Will Learn: Disappointed in Gillian's changes, Anna becomes company of the mischievous Hansel and Gretel, who then become the company of the villain Rumpelstiltskin. Anna is adamant and in control of herself nevertheless, much to Gillian's dismay. Gillian hesitantly decides to let Anna decide for herself instead of forcing her to come back home.
FTRS Staff
Principal Flora
Formerly Princess Ella's wicked stepmother, she opted to change her ways and opened FTRS to help other villains do the same.
Her reforming is what inspired her to start the reform school that the book series takes place in.
Her reforming is what inspired her to start the reform school that the book series takes place in.
- The Un Favourite: Taking care of her siblings meant she never had time for friends, and her parents picked favourites on her fair-haired blue-eyed sister Anastasia.
- Troubled Abuser: Flora reflected that the pain she inflicted on Ella was the same she experienced as a child. She escaped via arranged marriage, but the jealousy started after marrying Ella's father, whose daughter resembled Anastasia. See the above.
Miri the Magic Mirror
As the name implies, Miri is a sentient Magic Mirror. She is apparently not restricted to one mirror, however, as she has the ability and duty of hopping mirrors to relay news and ca
- Magic Mirror: A sentient one at that. Miri is also capable of hopping between mirrors, and keeps to a schedule of catering to FTRS and the royals.
Professor Wolfington
Originally The Big Bad Wolf, Wolfington teaches history at FTRS.
- Our Werewolves Are Different: He appears as mostly man but can summon a Wolf Man form even without a full moon, with some help. Wolf Man form enables full-on werewolf-like instincts and abilities, but regaining control is a struggle which can be accomplished with time.
Professor Harlow
Madame Cleo
Blackbeard
Villains
Gottie / Alva
Two infamously dangerous villains on the loose in Enchantasia. Gottie is Mother Gothel, who imprisoned Rapunzel in a tower. Alva is the evil fairy queen who tried to curse Princess Rose. No one knows where they are, and the latter's very living status is unknown.
- Disc-One Final Boss: Alva was the Big Bad for the first two books, that position would later be taken by Rumpelstiltskin for even longer.
- Two Aliases, One Character: They are revealed to be the same person. Turns out that Gottie was dead long ago and Alva used her unknown death to her advantage.
Rumpelstiltskin
Family of FTRS students
Gillian's family
The Cobblers live in a run-down shoe with little income.
Kayla's family
- Forced Transformation: All of Kayla's family are turned
Royalty
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: (needs examples)
Ella (Cinderella)
Snow (Snow White)
Rapunzel
Rose
Others in Enchantasia
Neil
A troll who owns "Combing The Sea", a store for expensive trinkets.
