Alice and the Airy Fairy by Margaret Clark, ill Emma Stuart

Alice’s family are hosting Mum’s cousin Mary, who Dad describes as being an ‘airy fairy’. Alice is keen to discover if Mary is a real fairy. Her school friend, Zoe, is not convinced, but Alice thinks there are sufficient clues not to give up hope. Mary is certainly surrounded by mystery. She is also warm, friendly and a little bit sad. Day by day Alice learns a bit more about Mary, although sometimes what she learns makes her even more mysterious. Colour illustrations are scattered throughout.

My Mum has a cousin called Mary.

We don’t see her very often. She moves from town to town. In fact, we don’t hear from her much.

One day Mary phoned to tell Mum that she had problems, and asked if she could stay with us for a while until she was problem-free.

‘Of course,’ said Mum.

Dad pulled a face. ‘Mary’s such an airy fairy,’ he said. ‘I hope she doesn’t stay too long.’

‘Airy fairy? Is Cousin Mary a real fairy?’ I asked.

Alice’s family are hosting Mum’s cousin Mary, who Dad describes as being an ‘airy fairy’. Alice is keen to discover if Mary is a real fairy. Her school friend, Zoe, is not convinced, but Alice thinks there are sufficient clues not to give up hope. Mary is certainly surrounded by mystery. She is also warm, friendly and a little bit sad. Day by day Alice learns a bit more about Mary, although sometimes what she learns makes her even more mysterious. Colour illustrations are scattered throughout.

Children often misinterpret things their parents say, taking them literally. And when Mary is as different to their family as a fairy would be, it is easy to see why Alice is sure Mary must be a real fairy. Truth blurs with magic sometimes, and Alice’s investigations allow her to learn about Mary in a way that maintains some of the illusion of magic. Ultimately, Alice helps Mary to find a magical/practical solution to her dilemma. This is a new offering in the Little Rockets series from New Frontier Publishing, and is for newly confident readers. Titles feature short chapters and illustrations. They are accessible texts for readers traversing the plain between reality and magic. Recommended for lower primary readers.

Alice and the Airy Fairy

<a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921928451&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>Alice and the Airy Fairy</a>, Margaret Clark ill Emma Stuart

New Frontier Publishing 2013

ISBN: 9781921928451

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

 

Available from good bookstores or <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781921928451&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”>online</a>.

Eddie Pipper by Janeen Brian ill Emma Stuart

‘Eddie Pipper! Here, now!’

Oh, oh. In his bedroom, Eddie wiped his gleey hands down the sides of his grey school shorts. Glue dried clear. Mum would never know. He stood too quickly and his foot knowced the jar of glue. It tilted – and toppeled! Oh, no! He scooped some of the gooey mixture off the bare wooden floor and plopped it back into the container.

‘Eddie!’

He’d get the rest later. With any luck, it might soak into the floorboards and he wouldn’t have to clean it up.

‘Back soon, Might Penguin,’ he told the sloppy mess of paper strips glued to a couple of balloons.

‘Eddie Pipper! Here, now!’

Oh, oh. In his bedroom, Eddie wiped his gluey hands down the sides of his grey school shorts. Glue dried clear. Mum would never know. He stood too quickly and his foot knocked the jar of glue. It tilted – and toppleed! Oh, no! He scooped some of the gooey mixture off the bare wooden floor and plopped it back into the container.

‘Eddie!’

He’d get the rest later. With any luck, it might soak into the floorboards and he wouldn’t have to clean it up.

‘Back soon, Might Penguin,’ he told the sloppy mess of paper strips glued to a couple of balloons.

Nearly-nine-year-old Eddie Pipper is passionate about penguins. He’d desperately love a penguin as a pet. And he does  have a birthday coming up. But there are more than a few hurdles. First he has to remember to be responsible. Leaving your sister in a pool of ice and forgetting about her, isn’t responsible. No matter how much penguins like it, little sisters don’t. And then there’s the forgetting. His head is so full of penguins and how to get one of his own that there’s not much room for anything else. Like bus money. And Pet Parade.

Many parents will recognise the obsession that can overtake children and consume them to the exclusion of almost everything else. Many children will recognise that longing for something that seems to remain tantalisingly out of reach. And the seeming lack of empathy from those around them. Eddie is a dreamy, yet focussed child (very focussed!) and readers will cheer him on. Eddie Pipper is a new title in New Frontier’s Little Rockets series, targeted at lower- to mid-primary readers. Text is wide-spaced and colour illustrations are dispersed throughout. Stories are fully realised but not over-long, with achievable length chapters. Recommended for lower- to mid-primary readers. And anyone who longs for a pet of their own.

Eddie Pipper

Eddie Pipper by Janeen Brian ill Emma Stuart
New Frontier Publishing 2012
ISBN: 9781921928215

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Available online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.