Troll Bridge
Jane Yolen & Adam Stemple
Starscape, Jul 25 2006, $16.95
ISBN: 0765314266

Though she thinks the event is stupid, sixteen-year-old harpist student Moira attends the annual Dairy Princess gala at the Vanderby State Fair as one of the twelve Dairy Princesses whose likenesses are carved in butter for display on the Trollholm Bridge. Still the publicity is important so Moira joins in the festivities, planning to melt away as soon as possible. To her shock, Moira finds her eleven buttery compatriots asleep in some weird mystical way.

At the same time that Moira struggles with the sleeping princesses, the Griffsons teen band members take a break from performance as the three brothers are bone weary after completing their last tour. However instead of R&R, the siblings and Moira abruptly find themselves strangers in a strange land where Fossegrim the magical fox battles to save his Trollholm realm and the outer world against his adversary Aenmarr the Troll of Austraegir. To win Fossegrim must gain possession of the mystical magical fiddle and find someone to play it professionally. He enlists the reluctant Minnesotans to assist him when all they want to do is go home.

The latest Rock 'N' Roll fairy tale (see PAY THE PIPER) is a fine lighthearted but clever blending of two fairy tales (The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Twelve Dancing Princesses) and real Minnesota events (like the butter sculptures) into a fun save the world fantasy. The four transplants make for a fine story as they just want to go home, but their efforts seem futile as nothing turns out to be what they initially thought. Fossegrim and Aenmarr as much as their realm add to the feel of a fun fairy tale that young adults and ancient geezers like this reviewer will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner