While visiting her grandmother at Blue Moon, Jessie discovers a path into the Fairy Realm, a magical world of fairies, elves, unicorns, miniature horses, and mermaids. But everything in this magic kingdom is not as idyllic as it first seems. To save the realm, Jessie must use all her human talents.
Rodda (Rowan of Rin series) launches the Fairy Realm series with this taut, engaging fantasy tale. Jessie visits her maternal grandmother, Jessica, at Blue Moon, a rambling old house with a "secret garden" where Jessie feel safe and peaceful. For five years, the woman has lived alone, since the death of her husband, a renowned artist who painted scenes featuring castles, fairy princesses, elves and miniature horses. Jessie shares more with her grandmother than a name: each always seems to know how the other is feeling. Suddenly Jessie becomes aware that her grandmother, who has been weakened by a fall, is in some kind of grave trouble and that she must help her. Following a voice beckoning her to the secret garden one night, Jessie is transported to a fairyland that she recognizes from one of her grandfather's paintings-his last. Rodda deftly fits together the pieces of a creatively complex puzzle whose fragments include a missing charm bracelet, a cloak that renders the wearer invisible and a secret spell that must be used-once in a blue moon-to renew the magic in the land of Jessica's birth. Despite what sound like familiar elements, an intriguing plot and appealing characters make this a sure choice for budding fantasy fans. Readers will likely wish to accompany Jessie on her second adventure, The Flower Fairies, due out the same month. Ages 7-10. (Mar.) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.
Gr 1-4-Jessie's grandmother's health is failing rapidly and the woman seems unconcerned that the charm bracelet she always wore is missing. She knows she had something important to do before her upcoming 70th birthday, but she can't remember what. In a parallel world, the fairies are trying to save their kingdom from an evil ruler. Jessie accidentally travels to that world, becomes embroiled in their struggles, and saves the day by retrieving the magical charm bracelet, thereby restoring her grandma's memory of her connection to the fairy world and what she must do. It's all a bit predictable, but beginning chapter-book readers will appreciate Jessie's take-charge attitude to defeat the evil usurper and revel in her success at saving her grandmother and the fairy kingdom. Geared toward transitional readers, the short chapters each begin with one full-page, black-and-white illustration, aptly showing the magic of the book.-Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Writing for a younger audience, the Aussie author of the "Rowan of Rin" series sends a human child to rescue a fairy land about to be overrun by, as one hysterical elf puts it, "trolls and-ogres and-goblins-and dragons-and-giants-and-monsters-and-and-." Searching for her failing grandmother's prized charm bracelet, young Jessie stumbles into a realm that bears an astonishing resemblance to the paintings her grandpa used to create before his death. As it turns out, Jessie's grandmother is not only a former resident, but heir to that country's throne-and so the only one who can renew the spell that keeps the baddies at bay. Giving Jessie a talking pony and other allies, an invisibility cloak, a fast-approaching deadline, and an imposter claimant with nefarious intentions, Rodda tells a suspenseful, well-knit tale, enlivened by humor and heroism, climaxed by a clever ruse and some nick-of-time spell casting. Though restored to youth and beauty when brought back to her land, Jessica's grandmother opts to go back with her granddaughter to the world of humans-but Jessica, now with a charm bracelet of her own, is definitely slated for future visits. The series has been running overseas for several years, and to judge from its opener, should have made the jump long ago. (final illustrations not seen) (Fiction. 7-9)
