These are the things Willow knows:

* Her older sister is a perfectly prissy pain in her hindquarters.
*A dog would be a perfect companion for her.
*Ten (or the big ONE-OH) is the most important birthday ever.
* Having a best best friend would be the greatest birthday present in the world!

Those are the thoughts jumbled around in Willow Doyle's head as we follow her through the story. If you're thinking that this sounds like an adorable story, you would be correct!

Young readers will find a lot to love in Fourth Grade Fairy. Although Willow faces the additional challenge of growing into some pretty big fairy god-mothering shoes, she still has the same issues as all girls this age. She explores the issue of friendship, namely how to find a real friend. She is also trying to figure out how she fits into her family. See Willow's older sister Lucinda is perfect and of course her parents adore her. Where does that leave a girl who seems to always be a step behind? Willow's inner monologue is simply fantastic. I could definitely believe that she was a nine (almost ten) year old just trying to find her way in life. Add in her silly sense of humor and you have one fantastic read!

The supporting characters in Willow's life are perfectly written as well, and fit in just where they need to. From her supportive grandmother, to the friends of the popular girl in school, they are all there in vivid color. Each character is so realistic that it's like stepping back into elementary school. So many memories came flooding back for me. Even the cast of animal characters is adorably believable. I'm not saying that I think animals can talk (or am I?) but I am saying that they are part of Willow's support group. An adorable part at that! Truth be told, they kind of steal the show.

I think young readers will have a simply delightful time reading this book, and older readers will see the deeper meaning in Willow's story. Colorful writing and a sweet story blend together to create one very enjoyable read for young and old readers alike! A great reminder of the lessons we all learn as children, Eileen Cook has written a gem in Fourth Grade Fairy! I cannot wait for the next installment and see what other kinds of trouble Willow can get herself into! ( )

Fourth Grade Fairy

Many years ago, humans and fairies were friends...until something bad happened. Some fairies decided it was more fun to play tricks on humans instead of grant wishes, which was their calling. Push came to shove and it was no longer safe to remain exposed to the newly named “humdrums” and so the fairies banded together and used their magic to cast a hiding spell, allowing them to blend in but remain in plain site to carry out their duties. The relationships between these two groups have been non-existent for many years, the thought of friendship lost in time…at least until now.

Willow is a progressive fairy whose heartfelt wish is…to have a best friend. Good thing her birthday is coming up because that’s the perfect time for wishes! It’s not that she doesn’t have best friends currently, she does; Sasha and Adele to put names to their roles. The only thing is that they were best friends with each other first and so Willow often feels left out of the loop. Her solution? Well, since there seems to be a short supply of “single” fairies, making friends with a humdrum should do the trick as they are always looking for a new friend! Oh if it were only that simple….

The cover leads you to believe a cute little book lies within and it does not disappoint. When Willow first arrived at the humdrum school, her sights were initially set on becoming friends with the popular girls and learns from that mistake later on …but life is a learning experience after all (something her sister Lucinda learns the hard way after being a bit too much of a know-it-all).

The supporting characters are wonderfully written as well and suit their roles perfectly. From the popular girls to the not-so-popular individuals, from Grandma Doyle to her sister Lucinda, their really isn’t one that you encounter living what you’d describe as falsely. Then we have the cast of animal characters who frankly they steal the show at times. From Lester the hamster to Winston the Scottie, Louise the cat and a grumbly old parrot, this motley crew is fantastic...and surprisingly more helpful than they first seem.

Younger readers will enjoy the story at face value, revealing in the magic and fun; older readers will know who the "real" friend is right off the bat, but that comes with experience of course...and certainly does nothing to detract from the book.

All in all, a wonderful book for readers of all ages plus a great reminder of our core lessons from childhood. It’s not what is on the outside, but what is inside that counts, illustrated wonderfully here...plus, being prejudice about something or someone based on a past encounter is simply bad judgment. Giving everyone their fair shake is the only way to go because you never really know what “magic” you’ll uncover in the most unlikely of places.

The first book in the new "Fourth Grade Fairy" series, scheduled for release mid April. Happy reading!

*read via Simon & Schuster Galley Grab ARC ( )