CM Magazine: Fairy Mom and Me.

________________ CM . . . . Volume XXIV Number 31. . . .April 13, 2018

cover
Fairy Mom and Me.

Sophie Kinsella. Illustrated by Marta Kissi.
Toronto, ON: Puffin Canada, 2018.
146 pp., hardcover & EPUB, $16.99 (hc.).
ISBN 978-0-7352-6333-8 (hc.), ISBN 978-0-7352-6334-5 (EPUB).

Grades 2-5 / Ages 7-10.

Review by Saird Larocque.

** /4

excerpt:

Mom knows I’d like to be a fairy. She says that all the girls in my family turn into fairies when they’re grown up, so one day I will too. I will have sparkly wings and my own Computawand. I can’t wait.

Being a fairy is hard work, but Ella Brook can’t wait until she is old enough to be just like her mom who is a businesswoman at the office but a fairy at home. Ella’s mom isn’t the greatest fairy and can’t always remember magic spells, but making mistakes can sometimes be the best way to learn.

Fairy Mom and Me is the first foray into children’s literature for author Sophie Kinsella, who is best known for her adult “Shopaholic” series. With a glossy pink cover and attractive illustrations, Fairy Mom and Me will definitely catch the eye of young readers. Marta Kissi’s drawings capture an array of emotions and work well to enhance the text. The story is simple, fun and moves along quickly, with many humorous moments to engage readers. A family activity guide included at the end of the book gives some great ideas for how to engage young readers in thinking critically about some important lessons that are presented in the story.

I have reservations about this title mostly because the book is very gender-specific. While these gendered books can make readers advisory simple, they also promote gender stereotypes that can be problematic. Fairy Mom and Me, clearly a book for girls, helps address the under-representation of girls in children’s books, but should we be promoting such a strong separation instead of focusing on children as individuals?

Recommended with Reservations.

Saird Larocque is a librarian and children’s literature researcher from Saint John, NB.

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