The Dollhouse Fairy

PreS-Gr 2—In this realistic story with a touch of magic, Rosy loves making special things for her dollhouse with her dad on Saturday mornings. One morning, he isn't there; he's gone to the hospital, and in his absence she finds a fairy with a hurt wing in the dollhouse. Rosy puts cream and bandages on Thistle's wing, plays with her in secret, and, as the fairy starts to mend, helps her practice flying. Mixed-media illustrations in Ray's sophisticated folk-art style are well paced, have a skilled use of white space, and start on the cover with the front of the dollhouse and end with the back. When her father returns, Rosy tells him about her guest, who appears to have flown. "But Dad left out a tiny piece of cake for Thistle, just in case...." Although there are many pink details and flowers, this is a decidedly different and not-too-sweet fairy story.—Debbie Hoskins, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI