Two things you need to know:

I loved the movie. Yes, it's cheesy, poorly written, with silly songs. Yes, it relies too heavily on the better Laurel and Hardy version(and that only works because Laurel and Hardy are Laurel and Hardy). But the dresses. The dresses! And the little story book town. And, as campy as they are, the villains! Not to mention Ed Wynn's fumbling adorable-ness. My poor parents would roll their eyes every time I chose it and even I was dead tired of the nonsense by the time the "battle" at the end happens. But I stayed in the room because I wanted to see that last dress.

Two: I literally read Heather Dixon Wallwork's books based on the fact that all I knew about her was that we shared a love of those dresses. That was literally the only reason I picked up her books. And you should check out her Story-monster website for the proof.

So, all of that is to say that I was extremely disappointed in the book. Extremely. Tom is relegated to the role of friend. They showcase one of her best dresses, but only bother to illustrate her a couple of times. And the ending seemed a bit rushed and a bit cliffhanger-ish. This series of books could be used to get a whole new generation addicted to the old shows but instead the audience is rather vague. It's not there for the die-hard fans and it's not there for potential fans. Then what purpose do they serve? This disappointed reader genuinely wants to know. ( )