pearlie – Aussie Reviews

Pearlie and the Flamenco Fairy by Wendy Harmer ill Gypsy Taylor

It was a bright and beautiful afternoon when Pearlie flew into sunny Spain.

From the back of Queen Emerald’s magic ladybird she had a wonderful view of the plazas, fountains and the royal palace in the lovely old city of Madrid.

It was a bright and beautiful afternoon when Pearlie flew into sunny Spain.

From the back of Queen Emerald’s magic ladybird she had a wonderful view of the plazas, fountains and the royal palace in the lovely old city of Madrid.

Pearlie is off on a new adventure, leaving her home in Central Park and winging all the way to Spain. After she lands in The Royal Botanic Garden, Pearlie meets up with her new friend, Florentina. Florentina has a surprise for Pearlie: she has organised a party so Pearlie can meet all her friends. But in a less welcome surprise, Florentina has planned dancing lessons and a dancing exhibition for the party. Pearlie is anxious, when it comes to dancing, she has two left feet. She must quickly learn to dance or she will embarrass herself and her friend. As the party time approaches, Pearlie’s anxiety grows. <a href=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/product_info.php?ref=271&id=9781742755403&affiliate_banner_id=1″ target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.fishpond.com.au/affiliate_show_banner.php?ref=271&affiliate_pbanner_id=46024611″ border=”0″ alt=”Pearlie and the Flamenco Fairy”></a> is fully illustrated.

It’s very exciting to visit friends, particularly when you are keen to see more of their beautiful home. But it can also be daunting if you discover that they are expecting you to join them in dancing when you have no skills in that area. But Pearlie wants to please her friends and puts all her energy into learning the unfamiliar steps. And she’d be happy to be able to dance as beautifully as her friend. But lest the reader think Pearlie is being too compliant, the visiting fairy takes control of her outfit for the night. She takes comfort from looking gorgeous, even if she’s sure she won’t be able to dance well. Pearlie, of course, triumphs as only a fairy so far from home could! Recommended for lower primary readers.

Pearlie and the Flamenco Fairy, Wendy Harmer, ill Gypsy Taylor
Random House Australia 2012 ISBN: 9781742755403

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

Avaialable from good bokstores or online from Fishpond.

Pearlie in Paris, by Wendy Harmer & Gypsy Taylor

It was springtime in Paris! From high on Queen Emerald’s magic ladybird, Pearlie could see many grand buildings, the Eiffel Tower, and beautiful parks bursting with fresh flowers.

‘Hurly-burly!’ sang Pearlie. She was thrilled to be visiting one of the world’s loveliest cities when it was at its prettiest.

Pearlie arrives in Paris for a holiday with Fifi, a fairy who lives in the garden of the Royal Palace (Jardin du Palais Royal). Instead she is met by a flustered, slightly bossy French fairy. After an initial misunderstanding, Pearlie helps Fifi prepare for the showing of her new Spring fashion collection. Pearlie is overwhelmed by the gorgeous, if slightly impractical for her, gowns. When disaster strikes overnight, in the shape of a runaway snail, it’s up to Pearlie to save the day. Illustrations are full colour and share the ‘joie de vivre’ of Paris in the springtime.

Pearlie in Paris is the 14^th adventure with Pearlie, the fairy who normally resides in an inner Sydney park. She’s a hard-working fairy, so it’s good she also gets to take holidays. Even if, on those holidays she also gets to solve problems and avert disasters. Pearlie is a very good-hearted fairy, never taking offence and always finding ways to help out. But she does get to tour around Paris in the end, even if it’s not with her new friend, Fifi, who is presumably too busy filling orders after her spectacular fashion show! Fans of Pearlie will enjoy this instalments and new readers of this series will want to search out other Pearlie adventures. Recommended for newly independent readers and for younger children as a read-to.

Pearlie in Paris, Wendy Harmer & Gypsy Taylor
Random House 2011
ISBN: 9781741663808

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author

www.clairesaxby.com

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond.

Pearlie in Central Park, by Wendy Harmer

It was a crisp winter morning and Pearlie was riding high in the sky on Queen Emerald’s magic ladybird. Her home was far, far away. Down below, she could see the whole of Central Park, New York City.
‘Hurly-burly!’ cried Pearlie. ‘This place is huge! Crystal must be the busiest fairy ever.’

Pearlie, the fairy, is more commonly to be found in Sydney, but in this adventure she’s off to see her friend, Crystal. She flies there on a magic ladybird and is enchanted with the view of the snowy park. But when she lands, she discovers there’s been a misunderstanding. Instead of holidaying with her friend, she discovers she is to look after the park while Crystal is off on a holiday of her own. Swallowing her disappointment, she makes friends with some squirrels, who promise to show her how to look after the park and its inhabitants. Full colour illustrations from Gypsy Taylor bring colour to the snow-covered park.

Pearlie always makes the best of things, so her initial disappointment at not seeing her friend soon abates. She is filled with curiosity and fun, and keen to learn about a very different park in a very different climate. Pearlie soon discovers a way to have fun AND convince the greedy birds to share their food. Her enthusiasm and creative problem solving show that being a leader and helping others can be rewarding in many ways. The Pearlie books are halfway between picture and chapter books and will be enjoyed by young readers and pre-readers happy to flit though the illustrations just as Pearlie does.

Pearlie in Central Park, Wendy Harmer ill Gypsy Taylor
Random House 2010
9781741663778

review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

Pearlie and Great Aunt Garnet, by Wendy Harmer

Pearlie was busy hanging her beautiful clothes, frilly pillow cases and feather curtains in the warm sun, when her friend Jasper the elf flew straight into her wet pyjamas.

Pearlie and Jasper decide to host a surprise birthday party for their friend Opal. They write invitations for everyone except Scrag and Mr Flea. Next there are games to organise and food to order. Of course there must be a big birthday cake too. Scrag and Mr Flea hear about the party and decide to hold their own. Pearlie takes Jasper to Great Aunt Garnet’s wonderful shop. Great Aunt Garnet will deliver the cake later. Scrag and Mr Flea have a shopping list too, which also includes an enormous birthday cake. Great Aunt Garnet has two cakes to deliver. What could possibly go wrong?

Pearlie and Great Aunt Garnet is the latest in the ‘Pearlie’ series from Wendy Harmer. The illustrations are bright and the text accessible to readers making the transition from picture books to less illustrated works. Younger children will also enjoy having the story read to them. The book is a good size for small hands to hold. The credits refer to the animation experience of the illustrator and it’s easy to imagine these stories as an animated series. The story is simple, with a positive resolution and is sure to appeal to young readers.

Pearlie and Great Aunt Garnet, by Wendy Harmer
Random House 2007
ISBN 9781741667316

Pearlie and the Christmas Angel

Jasper thought for a minute. ‘Will you take the angel’s place…just for one night?’ he asked Pearlie.
‘Me?’ exclaimed Pearlie. ‘But…I’m so shy…and…I…’
‘Go on, mate,’ said Opal. ‘You have to do it for the children. A tree without an angel? It just wouldn’t be Christmas!’

It is nearly Christmas and Pearlie and her friends can’t wait for the Carols by Candlelight in Jubilee Park. But then a fierce summer storm hits the park and the decorations are ruined. Pearlie and her friends manage to redecorate the tree and clean up the rubbish, but the angel from the top of the tree has been damaged and has caught a cold. Pearlie’s friends encourage her to overcome her shyness and save Christmas Eve for the children.

Pearlie and the Christmas Angel is a delightful story for Christmas or any time of the year. Pearlie and Opal the fairies and Jasper the elf, along with their various animal friends are cute characters, brought to life in full colour illustrations by Gypsy Taylor, based on original character illustrations by Mike Zarb.

This is the sixth story in the Pearlie series by author and comedienne Wendy Harmer, and will especially appeal to to kids aged 4 to 8.

Pearlie and the Christmas Angel, by Wendy Harmer
Random House, 2007

Pearlie in the Park, by Wendy Harmer

Reviewed by Kathryn Duncan

Everyone who loves fairies is going to love Pearlie. She lives in the fountain in Jubilee Park in the middle of the city. Every day, Pearlie looks after the park, making sure that animals are doing what they are supposed to do and that the park is clean and tidy.

Then one day, things don’t go as Pearlie plans. The spiders are floating on the lily pads, ducks are swinging by their wings in the trees, possums are swimming in the pond and frogs are spinning spider’s webs.

Pearlie sets out to find out who is behind this and we join her as she discovers what went wrong. We meet the culprits, Mr Flea and Scrag, two mischievous rats who also live in Jubilee Park. They enjoy causing just a little bit of trouble for Pearlie and her friends. But Pearlie soon teaches them that being mischievous may not get them exactly what they want.

Pearlie looks just like you imagine a city fairy would look like. She has long blond hair, pearls around her neck and a great big happy grin. Mr Flea and Scrag are opposites, one fat and the other thin, but they look like they are up to something. The pictures are bright and colourful and make you want to go and enjoy a day with Pearlie and her park friends.

Recommended for lower primary school aged children or those who enjoy listening to a fun story.

Pearlie in the Park, by Wendy harmer, illustrated by Mike Zarb
Random House, 2003