If you have a young reader that enjoyed the Rainbow Fairy series, then do introduce them to Birdies' Book! (The introductory book in The Fairy Godmother Academy series.)

The writing style is similar, which is to say simple and straightforward and kid-friendly, but the story has been updated for a slightly older audience. There is, for example, some teen angst, and more personal drama and excitement.

The story is about Birdie's quest (Birdie Cramer Bright). Unbeknownst to her, her family has a strong history of magic, which unfortunately involves a terrible mistake which is killing the wonderous fairyland of Aventurine.

In order to fix this, Birdie must join forces with Kerka, a girl who is very much different than her; and the two of them must face off against dark forces and solve the mystery of how to repair the family talisman.

I really liked some of the aspects of this book. I liked, for instance, that Latin was introduced as a cool and positive thing. I liked that older people were revered and not ridiculed as they are in some books. And I liked that plant knowledge, like Latin, was presented in a positive light.

I think older girls are going to be drawn to the idea that sometimes they aren't going to understand what their parents are thinking. And that there parents were once kids like themselves, who sometimes made mistakes. (In this book, Birdies' mother denies her heritage! Something Birdie doesn't initially understand.)

Talking Points :::
This is a fun, light read that ought to be a hit with girls who like adventure and magic. There is light conflict as well as some inter-personal angst.

There is no real violence, nor anything too scary so that the book would be appropriate for younger readers, especially those who read above grade-level. (Note: there are one or two pages in the book that are in cursive. These might need 'translating'.)

The other point I would mention is that the book is not really 224 pages long. By my own count it is approximately 192 pages in length. The difference being that the publisher iincludes a sneak preview (love those!) into book #2, Kerka's Book.

Pam
mom and reviewer for BooksForKids-reviews.com

The Fairy Godmother Academy - Birdie's Book

* Accelerated Reading level :none found
* Paperback: 224 pages **(see note in Talking Points)
* Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (August 25, 2009)
* ISBN-10: 037585181X