FICTION

The Fairiest Fairy

by Anne BOOTH
illus. by Rosalind Beardshaw. 32p. Nosy Crow. Apr. 2016. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780763686598.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 2—Some fairies are not very good at performing magic, as readers quickly find out in this sweet picture book. Betty, the protagonist of this tale, never seems to get the hang of it. Her dewdrops just make puddles, she can't wake up flowers, and her rainbows turn out crooked and messy. However, this curly-haired sprite seems to have an affinity for animals and assists them during each obstacle they face. When the Fairy Ball arrives, her animal friends help her win the most coveted "fairest of them all" title. Brightly colored mixed-media illustrations help tell the story and will keep little ones engaged for one-on-one reading.
VERDICT While some of the rhyming stanzas are long-winded and the story is choppy in places, this book will nonetheless fly off library shelves.
Reviewed by Brooke Newberry, La Crosse Public Library, WI
Young Betty, who's "always in a muddle," has trouble mastering basic fairy skills such as sprinkling dewdrops. However, because she's kind to other creatures, they return the favor and she wins the title of "Fairiest Fairy" after all. The mixed-media illustrations portray the fairies-in-training not as ethereal but as typical sneaker-wearing, pig-tailed, bespectacled schoolchildren (with wings), which helps offset the rhyming text's saccharine tone.
 , Mar 01, 2016

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