March 15, 2017
Isabelle's starting the first level of Fairy Godmother Training, and things don't look good. Her sister's a prodigy, and her Grandmomma wrote the rule book on proper fairy-godmother practice--literally--but Isabelle's more like her scandalous mother, long-banished and the reason for the rules. Well-meaning and enthusiastic, Isabelle struggles with following instructions and studying. If she fails, she'll have to go to the Fairy Godmother Home for Normal Girls and learn nonmagical work in a sparkle-and-wand-free environment. She's assigned a practice princess, Nora Silverstein: not actually a princess but a regular girl. Isabelle has six weeks to create Nora's happily-ever-after, but Nora's a serious, practical girl, the kind who wishes for impossible-to-grant things like world peace. In spending time with Nora in hopes of discerning a grantable wish, Isabelle strikes a friendship with her--which in itself grants Nora's wish for a friend. But the happy ending--Isabelle progresses in her training and learns that part of her trouble with reading fine print and rules stems from a need for glasses--is undermined by the revelation that the practice princesses will forget their fairy godmothers. Saving their friendship means breaking yet another rule (and setting up a sequel). Isabelle's a smart and likable protagonist, and the third-person narration, refreshingly, assumes readers just like her. Isabelle and Nora are both white, but other fairy godmothers and princesses come in all colors. Underneath the sparkle there's a solid story. (Fantasy. 6-9)
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April 1, 2017
Gr 3-5-Isabelle is a fairy godmother in training. Her Grandmomma is the current president of the Fairy Godmother Alliance, and her sister is the fourth-best fairy godmother in the land. Given Isabelle's familial background, one would think she'd be a natural, but she would much rather play and daydream than study rule books or practice with her wand. Despite her questionable academic prowess, she is soon assigned a -practice princess- for six weeks with the objective of delivering a -happily ever after- to said girl. Isabelle is dismayed when she realizes she has been given an ordinary little girl (a -normal-) to work with, and her worst fears about failing seem destined to come true. This is the first installment in the series, and, unfortunately, it never finds its rhythm. The narrative is disjointed, and the plot detours involving Isabelle's mother (a fairy godmother banished years ago) are confusing rather than intriguing. This novel might have worked better for a younger audience, considering the subject matter, but its length, along with the vocabulary, puts it squarely in the tween section. VERDICT An optional title at best.-Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI
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May 15, 2017
Grades 3-6 Isabelle wants to be a fairy godmother and loves the idea of waving a wand to grant wishes for or amuse princesses. When she begins training though, she has some misgivings. For starters, she hasn't studied, much less read, the rule book. To make matters worse, her mother is known as the worst fairy godmother ever, and she was banished long ago (secretly, Isabelle wants to find her, wherever she is). When the trainees are assigned practice princesses, Isabelle is dismayed she isn't paired with a princess at all, but a regular girl who seems sad and lonely and hasn't made a wish. This sweet entry to a magic-packed series deals with confidence and knowing how to be a good friend, and Aronson's descriptions are lively and detailed enough to paint a rich picture. Isabelle is impulsive but honest and caring, and with references to classics, like putting a princess to sleep for her protection, or princesses who attract adorable woodland creatures, this should have ample appeal for avid princess fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2018
Struggling in Fairy Godmother Training (despite descending from the best in the business), Isabelle is paired with a regular girl whose emotionally heavy wishes can't be solved with sparkles or magic (�cf2]Worst�cf1]). During Isabelle's second level, her grandmother investigates a missing cache of sparkles wreaking havoc (�cf2]Keep Calm�cf1]). It's all pretty treacly, but the likable protagonist ultimately shines with hard-won confidence.
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