Abstract
Reviewed by: The Night Fairy Kate Quealy-Gainer Schlitz, Laura Amy. The Night Fairy; illus. by Angela Barrett. Candlewick, 2010 [128p]. ISBN 978-0-7636-3674-6 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 3–5 When a bat mistakes Flory for a satisfying meal and destroys her wings, the young night fairy must learn to survive without the ability to fly. Taking shelter in the garden of an old “giantess,” as she terms the human, Flory carves a little niche for herself, stealing nuts and berries from birdfeeders and using her magic to fend off predators, but still longs to take to the sky, hoping that eventually one of the garden’s resident hummingbirds will offer her a ride. A quiet read with an episodic chapter-book structure, this tale is a perfect next step for young readers transitioning from fairy-tale picture books to more sophisticated fantasies. Schlitz, best known for her Newbery-winning nonfiction Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! (BCCB 9/07), creates pure magic in her depiction of Flory’s world, deftly blending the appealing sweetness of the more popular portrayals of fairies with the darkly subversive, but still subtle, tone of traditional folklore. The bats, squirrels, and spiders that populate the garden are far from any Disneyfied singing forest creatures, but neither are they soulless predators, and Flory’s interactions with them present an intriguing picture of the secret workings of nature. The book therefore brings both the gossamer lightness of fairy stories and the rich darkness of fantasy to its tale, and readers will revel in Flory’s mysterious and sometimes magical realm. Final illustrations not seen. Copyright © 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
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