The first two books in the Wild Fairies series launch in less than three weeks! And we’ve gotten some great reviews from Kirkus and Booklist.
Here are the reviews for Daisy’s Decorating Dilemma:
Kirkus:
Event coordinator Daisy must find a theme for the Blossom Bash that will please everyone. While the current abundance of rain will benefit the flowers, it also poses a challenge: The accelerated, early bloom gives them less time than usual to prepare. Each fairy suggests their own flower or color to decorate Sugar Oak, putting Daisy in the unenviable role of being the deciding vote. (Gardeners will note the flowers listed are not all early spring blooms.) In the meantime, Daisy checks on other fairies’ preparations, troubleshooting their problems (from food and music decisions to recommending honey for seasonal allergies). Indigo’s garlands of materials from all over the forest inspire Daisy to go for an eclectic theme, allowing each fairy to decorate part of Sugar Oak however they wish. The full effect of the assortment, as well as the acceptance of an earlier than optimal bloom, is summed up by Daisy and stands as the story’s theme: “We all know we can’t control nature. We can only appreciate all that it gives us. And that’s what this celebration is really about!” In Kurilla’s frequent, full-color illustrations, Daisy is depicted with brown skin and blonde curls, and other fairies have skin and hair of all the colors of the rainbow; one fairy in the primary cast is male. Information about honey follows the story, as does a recipe, a dramatis personae, and some games. Flower-calendar quibble aside, an optimistic, upbeat story. (Fantasy. 6-8)
Booklist:
Spring is in the air in Sugar Oak, and this year, Daisy is in charge of the Blossom Bash. She and her fellow wild fairies want it to be the best ever, so Daisy takes decorating suggestions from each fairy. The dilemma comes when she doesn’t want to choose only one idea and hurt the other fairies’ feelings. She procrastinates in making her decision, and instead, goes from fairy to fairy, offering her help with each of their specific tasks. Finally, she arrives at a solution that will please everyone, and all the woodland critters who attend the festival agree it is a huge success. Here Daisy is the featured fairy, but the other books in the Wild Fairies series star a different flower fairy. Dougherty’s easy-to-read chapter book, filled with Kurilla’s brightly colored, whimsical illustrations, will find a ready audience, especially for those who have exhausted Daisy Meadows’ well-worn Flower Fairies series. The finished book will include a recipe and even an ad for a fairy house. Daisy’s adventure copublishes with Lily’s Water Woes. — J. B. Petty
And here’s the review for Lily’s Water Woes:
Kirkus:
Mermaid fairy Lily copes with the difficulties of being a water-based creature with land-based friends. Blue-haired and -skinned mermaid Lily must rely on her friends to visit her, as her inability to remain out of water for long results in her cutting short her visits to them (especially when, as in the case of Indigo’s treetop workshop, travel time eats into her outside-of-water time). Lily’s bummed out when distractions and changes of plans result in her friends’ skipping visits with her, and she feels left out when they explore areas she finds inaccessible. Lily doesn’t expect her friends to understand her accessibility difficulties and so doesn’t complain—but without her realizing it, they’ve noticed that she’s down and reasoned why. As a surprise for her, they examine how they can make their forest more inclusive of her physical needs, devising an elevator and slide system to give Lily fast, easy transportation and to accommodate her physical limitations. Lily’s friends decide to do this, without prompting or her asking, both to make Lily happy and because they enjoy her company, effectively modeling empathy and inclusiveness without didacticism. Contextual nuance to the disability parallel is provided in the joy Lily experiences in the water as well as in the apologies her friends provide in response to her feelings of neglect. Information about water lilies and a craft join the dramatis personae and assorted games in the backmatter—a series feature. A delightful story about thoughtful, compassionate friendship. (Fantasy. 6-8)
I can’t wait to start getting reader reviews – the most important ones!
