MARCH 2018 - AudioFile
Cassandra Morris invites listeners into a world of magic and wonder with her beautiful narration of Anderson’s latest story. Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets is a Granter, a fairy who has the revered job of making human wishes come true. Morris’s youthful voice paints a confident and ambitious Ophelia, whose obligation to follow the rules often stifles her heart’s inner voice. On Ophelia’s first mission outside The Haven, she encounters a variety of animals and humans, all expertly voiced by Morris. Sam, a loyal stray dog who is characterized by warm and steady tones, is a sharp contrast to Ophelia and her headstrong comments, making the pair’s unlikely friendship especially charming. This heartwarming coming-of-age tale with its captivating narration is sure to have listeners wishing for more as the story comes to an end. V.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
Anderson provides wonderfully convincing details about his imagined ‘world of waning wonder,’ where fairies struggle to keep magic alive. A faithful dog, a good friend, and pinch of magic work wonders in this modern fairy tale.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A feel-good story that finds the magic in everyday things.” — Publishers Weekly
“Anderson shows his versatility in this original fantasy adventure.” — ALA Booklist
ALA Booklist
Anderson shows his versatility in this original fantasy adventure.
School Library Journal
★ 02/01/2018
Gr 4–6—Magic isn't what it used to be. Though once upon a time, fairies could grant any wish they liked, today, owing to dwindling levels of magic, those decisions are the purview of the Great Tree. As a result, only a few of the humans wishing on shooting stars or birthday candles realize their heart's desire. Today, Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets, an untried young member of the Granter guild, has the chance to delight one human—and prove herself. Sent from the fairy realm to the human world with an arsenal of high-tech supplies and strict orders from her supervisor to adhere to regulations, she's tasked with making 13-year-old Kasarah Quinn's dream of a new bike a reality. But the mission becomes more complicated when the essential element (a nickel that Kasarah threw into a fountain when she made her wish) goes missing. This engrossing adventure moves quickly, plunging its heroine into one near-death scenario after another. Determined yet inexperienced Ophelia is a relatable underdog character, as is her sidekick, Sam, a dopey but enthusiastic canine. Interludes between chapters flesh out the fairy world, a hilarious blend of the magical and the bureaucratic. Anderson weaves in a subtle message about free will as earnest, by-the-book Ophelia's eyes open and she considers disobeying the rules and granting another wish. Her journey of self-discovery will resonate with young readers newly grappling with the idea that right and wrong aren't always clear-cut. VERDICT An enchanting addition to any middle grade collection.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal
MARCH 2018 - AudioFile
Cassandra Morris invites listeners into a world of magic and wonder with her beautiful narration of Anderson’s latest story. Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets is a Granter, a fairy who has the revered job of making human wishes come true. Morris’s youthful voice paints a confident and ambitious Ophelia, whose obligation to follow the rules often stifles her heart’s inner voice. On Ophelia’s first mission outside The Haven, she encounters a variety of animals and humans, all expertly voiced by Morris. Sam, a loyal stray dog who is characterized by warm and steady tones, is a sharp contrast to Ophelia and her headstrong comments, making the pair’s unlikely friendship especially charming. This heartwarming coming-of-age tale with its captivating narration is sure to have listeners wishing for more as the story comes to an end. V.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2017-10-28
Wish-fulfillment can be hard work. On her first assignment as a Granter, a cobalt-blue-haired fairy finds the human world far more complicated than she expected. Granting a wish requires determination and a little help from friends. Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets is compulsively well-prepared, but book-learning in the Haven is not the same as action in the real, human world. There are unexpected dangers: airplanes, territorial geese, a broom, a hawk, a truck. And then there's the difficult choice. With the dwindling amount of magic available to them, generations of fairies have decreed that an impartial lottery is the fairest way to distribute the number of fulfilled wishes, but is it? Is a boy's longing for his father's return more important than a girl's wish for a purple bike to replace her stolen one? Anderson provides wonderfully convincing details about his imagined "world of waning wonder," where fairies struggle to keep magic alive. He creates appealing characters, especially careful Ophelia, her scruffy, pink-haired fairy friend, an abandoned but loving dog she names Sam, and the boy, Gabe Morales, sadly longing for his father, serving in Iraq. (Only his name suggests Latinx heritage.) The skillful tale-telling includes satisfying alliteration. "Honor no wish that would lead to misery, misfortune, or malefaction" is the fairies' first rule of wish-granting. A faithful dog, a good friend, and pinch of magic work wonders in this modern fairy tale. (Fantasy. 9-12)
