Caldecott Honor artist and bestselling author David Shannon's warm and funny new picture book introduces Alice, a mischievous little girl with a "No, David" nose for trouble and a magic wand. Alice has a nose for trouble, but luckily she's a fairy--a Temporary Fairy. She has a magic wand, fairy wings, and a blanket, all of which she uses to disappear, to fly, to transform her dad into a horse, and to turn his cookies into her own! There are still a few things Alice needs to learn to become a Permanent Fairy, like how to float her dog on the ceiling and make her clothes put themselves away, but she's working on it--sort of. Here's an endearing, funny story about a girl and her magical imagination, sure to delight every fairy in training! PreSchool-Grade 1–Donning a fairy costume inspires a little girl's imagination in this droll picture book. Alice speaks for herself, claiming she can fly (not too high but really fast), can change her dad into a horse (for a horsey ride), can make herself disappear (by flicking off the light switch with her wand), and can turn oatmeal into cake by pouring on fairy dust (sugar). There are elements of danger, such as broccoli poisoned by the wicked Duchess (Mom) and baths (fairies hate baths), as well as mischief ("…my mom made cookies for my dad. So I turned them into mine") and mishaps ("Once I accidentally turned my white dress into a red one"). Alice knows that Permanent fairyhood requires a lot of tests, attending Advanced Fairy School, and learning how to "make clothes get up off the floor and… line up in the closet," so she'll "probably be a Temporary fairy forever." With his signature cartoon-style art and childlike lettering, Shannon has created a winsome, exuberant heroine whose wide eyes and toothy smile bring David to mind, though Alice's blond ringlets are all her own. Variety in page and text layout and the use of brilliant color make the pictures dance and occasionally pop right off the pages. An enjoyable romp. –Marie Orlando, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. PreS. If Shannon's David is a little devil, Alice is on the angelic side (almost). Using the same oversize format that he did in books such as No, David ! (1998), Shannon introduces young Alice, a fairy-in-training dressed up with wings, a wand, and patent leather shoes. Similar to David, she is drawn in doll-like style (though her teeth aren't sharp). Alice talks directly to her audience, informing them what fairies do and how she works her magic. "One time my mom made cookies for my dad. So I turned them into mine," she says, as she eyes the plate of cookies; in the next picture the plate is almost empty, and there are crumbs all over Alice's face. A few of the analogies are a stretch (this fairy's life is filled with danger--in the form of broccoli), but kids will find most of the humor right at their level, in terms of both wit and imagination. The pictures are richly colored, some almost effervescent in their playfulness. A meeting between Alice and David would engender even more fun. Ilene Cooper Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "Effervescent." - Booklist "The pictures dance and occasionally pop right off the pages. An enjoyable romp." - School Library Journal "A sunny (and ever-so-slightly spunky) delight." - Publishers Weekly Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the YearSouthern California Booksellers Association Book Award Alice the Fairy uses her magic wand to change frogs into princes and things like that. She can also make leaves fall from trees and turn oatmeal into cake. Sometimes she can even disappear! Being a fairy is very useful -- even if your spells don't always Alice the Fairy uses her magic wand to change frogs into princes and things like that. She can also make leaves fall from trees and turn oatmeal into cake. Sometimes she can even disappear! Being a fairy is very useful -- even if your spells don't always David Shannon is the internationally acclaimed creator of more than 40 picture books, including No, David! , a Caldecott Honor Book, and his second New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year, and four more David picture books. Shannon's bestsellers include A Bad Case of Stripes , Duck on a Bike , and Too Many Toys . He lives in Southern California with his family and Roy, their West Highland white terrier.
