A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2011
A Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of 2011
A Scholastic Book Fairs selection
★ “ . . . A fairy story that’s wistful, humorous, and clever.
—Publishers Weekly (starred)
“A wry, snarky voice that will draw readers in and keep them invested in the frenetically escalating events.”
—Martha V. Parravano, The Horn Book
“This clever tale . . . wraps a story of acceptance, both of self and family, in the fairy dressing.”
—Heather Booth, Booklist
“. . . Enjoyable and thought-provoking at the same time.”
—Dale McGarrigle, Bangor Daily News
“Familiar tropes get fresh, funny play in this sprightly tale.”
—Mary Quattlebaum, The Washington Post
★ “. . . Funny and intelligent . . . quirky characters and an unpredictable, fast-moving plot.”
—Eva Mitnick, School Library Journal (starred)
★ “Frequently hysterical dialogue, a hugely sympathetic protagonist and a baroque concatenation of magics and counter-magics.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred)
“Booraem has a way of making her characters, all her characters, real to the reader.”
—Betsy Bird, A Fuse 8 Production, School Library Journal.
What It’s About:
Thirteen-year-old Mellie Turpin once declared to her kindergarten class that she had a fairy living in her bedroom. But before she could bring him in for show-and-tell, he disappeared. Years later, she is still trying to live it down, taunted mercilessly by classmates who call her “Fairy Fat.”
Her imagination got her into this, she figures. She’s determined to keep it turned off.
When her parents inherit an inn and the family moves to a new town, Mellie sees a chance to finally leave all that fairy nonsense behind. Little does she know that the inn is overrun with… you guessed it.
Oh brother.
There’s no such thing as fairies, she keeps telling herself. And if there were, they wouldn’t hurt a fly.
Right?
SMALL PERSONS WITH WINGS
Ages 10-14
2011 Dial Books for Young Readers
2012 Puffin Books
ISBN 978-0-545-43931-2