As Jill headed toward the door her mother suddenly called out, "You are going into the land of Grimm. It's not the same as our kingdom. Sometimes a sense of humour is the best weapon a person can carry." Princess Jill excels at jousting, fencing, skating and long-distance spitting. Her brother, King Jack, loves baking and spending time with Little Bo Peep and her sheep. So what's a princess to do when she receives a mysterious letter from the land of Grimm? Take up ballroom dancing? Not Princess Jill. All alone, with only her wits to guide her, Jill sets off to rescue the citizens of Grimm. Along the way she makes many odd new friends and discovers the value of listening to your mother. When not hitching a ride on a broomstick with a passing witch, Dan Bar-el is an early childhood educator, a writer and a storyteller. Things are Looking Up, Jack, his first book about Jack and Jill, was published by Orca in 2003. His picturebook, Alphabetter, was published by Orca in Fall 2006. Dan lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.