A Fairy Friend

Sue Fliess and Disney-trained illustrator Claire Keane team up to create a gentle picture book in which a child discovers tiny footprints, a miniature door, and trails of glitter suggesting a fairy may have moved into the garden. The rhyming text reads aloud beautifully, and Keane's illustrations — soft lavenders and blues — create exactly the enchanted atmosphere the story calls for. School Library Journal recommended it as a first purchase, and that feels right for any library serving imaginative young readers. The honest caveat is that plot is thin; this is more mood and wonder than story arc. A small number of faith families may have reservations about fairy and magic themes, though the content is closer to a garden fairy figurine than anything occult. For children who love imaginative outdoor play, it is a lovely read.