Today marks the 27th birthday of one Chris Colfer… actor, singer, author, screenwriter. While we first fell in love with him because of Glee and his amazingly beautiful and empathetic portrayal of the fabulous Kurt Hummel, we’ve been utterly enchanted with this wit, his imagination and creativity in his writings. As the sixth and last book in his children’s series, The Land of Stories, Worlds Collide is coming up for release in July, we wanted to celebrate Chris’ birthday by sharing some of our favourite characters from this delightful series.
Trollbella
I just adore Trollbella and have since she was first introduced in chapter 11 of the first novel, The Wishing Spell. Daughter of the Troll King, the self-described “hopeless romantic” is utterly adorable, especially in her pursuit of her Butterboy, Connor. There is just something about her that resonates with me and I can’t wait for more of her adventures in her very own picture book, Trollbella Throws a Party, out July 11.
Ezmia
Ezmia is one of Chris’ original characters, and while a villain, there was something so relatable to her. From her first appearance in the second book, The Enchantress Returns (in which she is the enchantress referred to), we’ve been hooked; wanting to know what happened to her, what she wants, and why. I mean this woman kicks ass. Not only is she described in the following way,“Standing in the doorway was a tall and beautiful woman. She had long magenta hair that floated and rippled above her like slow-moving flames. Her eyes were violet with long feathered eyelashes like moths’ antennae. She wore a long purple gown with matching gloves and a high collar. A ghostly cape flowed around her and through the halls like a thick sheet of smoke,” but she collects the souls of the men who have broken her heart in jars on her mantelpiece. You can’t tell me some of you haven’t wished to do the same?
Red Riding Hood
Ah Red! We all have that slightly nutty, self-centred friend that though extremely frustrating, is actually so well-meaning (in a weird sort of way) that you’d never leave her (unless that person is actually you!). Chris’ Red Riding Hood is like none you’ve ever seen before. However, she’s completely devoted and loyal to her friends, a staunch feminist, and has managed to capture the heart of the dear Froggy, and if that’s not an endorsement for her, I know of none better. She’ll have you rolling in laughter at her antics one moment, shaking your head at some of the things that come out of her mouth the next and then just wanting to give her a big hug and console her not long after. Life is certainly never dull with Red around. Plus check out Queen Red Riding Hood’s Guide to Royalty for handy tips on “politics, government, health, love, and of course, what it means to be royalty.”
Alex Bailey
One of two central heroes of the series, Alex is who I would have wanted to be like when I was little. No doubt influenced by Harry Potter’s Hermione, Alex is book smart, intelligent, and a bit of a loner, but there’s no one else you’d want by your side going into battle. Plus, she knows magic! She’s gone through a lot in her short life; the death of her father, discovering the land of stories and that her Grandmother is the Fairy Godmother, battling numerous foes and armies in both the fairytale world and the real world, the death of her Grandmother, becoming and then being stripped of the title Fairy Godmother, and struggling with her developing powers, however, through it all, she never really loses sight of who she is, and is a great role model for children everywhere.
Goldilocks
“Courage is the one thing that no one can ever take away from you.”
Forget everything you think you know about Goldilocks, Colfer has created the ultimate kick ass woman who is a wanted fugitive and is on the run with her horse Porridge (best name ever)! She is madly in love with Jack (of Beanstalk fame) and she eventually gets her happy ever after when she marries Jack and starting a family with him. Goldilocks doesn’t take any rubbish from anyone and she is one of the few people who isn’t afraid to tell Red what is what, but by the later books we see the ladies become friends. Goldilocks sense of loyality is super strong, and she has a true heart of gold.
If Mother Goose is the type of old lady I want to be, Goldilocks is definitely the type of woman I wish I had been when I was younger.
Mother Goose and Lester
The Land of Stories series has some fantastic truly laugh out loud comedy moments and many of these moments come from Mother Goose and her trusty sidekick, Lester the Goose. Colfer has created a version of Mother Goose that is nothing like anyone has seen before, she loves to gamble, knows everyone and has seen everything, and she likes to have a cheeky drink which causes her to speak in nothing but rhyme.
I love Mother Goose, she has all the witty comebacks and spunk, but she will always try to do the right thing. The companion book The Mother Goose Diaries was truly one of the funniest things I have ever read, and in the creation of Mother Goose, I love seeing Colfer’s acerbic wit come through. I would love to sit down and have a drink and good old gossip with Mother Goose, and I definitely agree with her about early mornings – “Why do we have to live in a morning kingdom? I swear I am going to move to the Eastern Kingdom. At least people know how to sleep there!”
Froggy
Oh Froggy, Froggy, Froggy you total sweetheart. He is actually one of the Charming brothers but he was cursed by a witch and throughout the books, he goes from human to frog a number of times but chooses to stay as a frog when he is given the choice. He is set to marry Red but he breaks it off with Red when his first love returns (and plot twist she was the one who cursed him into a frog), and even then he does this out of love for Red.
Is it too much to ask for that Froggy gets his happy ever after in World’s Collide, or that I can find someone who loves me as much as Froggy loves Red.
Conner Bailey
Conner is the other central hero in the series and is Alex’s twin brother. When the series starts Conner doesn’t live up to his full potential, especially at school. As the twins travel through their many adventures, Conner becomes the clever and brave young man we have all grown to know and love, and we discover in The Author’s Odyssey that Conner has a hidden talent, he is a talented author.
Conner has a real heart of gold but isn’t afraid to do what needs to be done, although I definitely think he might be a little bit scared of Trollbella. I can’t wait to see what we get to see Conner get up to in the final book of the series Worlds Collide.
Happy 27th birthday Chris and we can’t wait for The Land of Stories: Worlds Collide.
Clare Sidoti
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