Little Legends: the spell thief

When new boy Anansi arrives in Tale Town, everyone welcomes him to his new home, except for Jack. Upset that his dad hasn't arrived back from working away, and suspicious of the new boy, Jack decides to keep an eye on Anansi.

After seeing him talking to an imp, Jack visits Lily the Mermaid and starts selling his precious memories in return for spells to reveal Anansi's true identity. Everything keeps going wrong, and Jack risks losing all his friends - but he just can't stop trying to solve the mystery of the town's newest resident!

This book includes all the classic fairy tale characters but tackles issues that children will deal with today. Missing a parent and feeling unease about a new friend joining the group are handled in an interesting, engaging way that doesn't feel like the moral at the end is being pushed.