Golden Girl

Gr 6–9—In this sequel to Dust Girl (Random, 2012), half-fairy Callie LeRoux finds herself in 1930s Hollywood, seeking a way to rescue her parents, who have been kidnapped by a rival faction of fairies called the Seelies. Her quest takes her and her loyal human friend, Jack, to the glamorous MGM film lot. There, she's fooled into rescuing the Seelie princess, who is disguised as young and spoiled film actress Ivy Bright, and discovers a gate to the Seelie world, where her parents are being held as performers in a vaudevillian act. Callie's father is an UnSeelie fairy prince and also African American; this novel contains just enough subtle commentary on the race and class issues of the era to give readers pause. Callie discusses the need for "passing," and with the surprising appearance of real-life singer and civil rights activist Paul Robeson, some of the struggles of being African American are brought to readers' attention, albeit in a fairly lightweightmanner. Callie ultimately finds herself in a dramatic battle to the death against Ivy as a tradeoff for freeing her parents. The exciting conclusion clearly sets the stage for the next book in the series. The simple writing style and tone make this title a good pick for reluctant readers-although, unless patrons have expressed interest in the previous title, this installation is more of an additional purchase than a necessary one.—Joanna Sondheim, Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, New York City