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Summary
Summary
What if a little girl looked in her dollhouse and found an injured -- and very
untidy -- fairy? A sweet story from celebrated illustrator Jane Ray. (Ages 3-7)
When Rosy discovers a real fairy living in her beloved dollhouse -- the one her dad made just for her -- she can't believe her eyes. But Thistle is no ordinary fairy. Despite a hurt wing, she's turned all the tiny furnishings topsy-turvy, and she's starving for raspberries and chips and other treats to eat. Rosy loves nurturing the mischievous fairy back to health, and can't wait to introduce her to her dad when he returns from his hospital stay. With a true flair for visual detail, Jane Ray offers a tale of family and friendship that touches on illness with a lighthearted tone -- and celebrates the healing power of the imagination.
Author Notes
Jane Ray is the author-illustrator of THE APPLE-PIP PRINCESS and SNOW WHITE: A THREE-DIMENSIONAL FAIRYTALE THEATRE and the illustrator of LUGALBANDA by Kathy Henderson and CLASSIC FAIRY TALES by Berlie Doherty. She lives in London.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
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 (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
A girl's rich imagination helps her cope with unexpected family stress in this uplifting picture book. Rosy treasures Saturday mornings spent with her father ("?Just me and my Rosy Posy,' Dad sang") as they decorate and play with the dollhouse he has built for her. But when Rosy awakens one Saturday to find that her father has been taken to the hospital, she tries to cheer herself by playing with the dollhouse solo. That's when she discovers that a rambunctious, messy, and wounded fairy named Thistle has taken up residence. As Rosy focuses on healing Thistle's hurt wing, her worries about her father begin to ease. Before long, Dad is back home, eager to meet Rosy's new friend (who has disappeared). Ray's (The Apple-Pip Princess) text floats on a fanciful idea and a predominantly lighthearted tone. She effectively conveys Rosy's concern without making the situation sound too frightening. The book's large trim size and Ray's vivid mixed-media artwork are a good match, introducing a close-knit family and highlighting an intricate dollhouse-and a spunky fairy-that any girl would love. Ages 3-7. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Every Saturday Rosy and her father make furniture for her dollhouse. When Dad is unexpectedly hospitalized, Rosy worries and turns to her dollhouse to feel better. Surprisingly, an injured fairy is in one of the little beds, and Rosy nurses her to health. Ray's delicate illustrations, featuring decorative patterns and glowing colors, pull readers into this gentle story about missing a parent. Copyright 2010 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Rosy loves the dollhouse her father built for her, and she loves Saturday mornings, a special time when she and her dad work together making its miniature furnishings. When he suddenly goes into the hospital, Rosy worries about him, but she discovers a distraction inside the dollhouse. Suddenly, all is topsy-turvy, with furniture upended, and Thistle, a little fairy with a broken wing, has taken up residence. Rosy takes care of Thistle until she is well enough to fly. After Rosy's supportive father recovers and returns home, Rosy tells him about their secret visitor, only to find that Thistle has gone. No matter what conclusions adults may draw about the chaos in the dollhouse, Ray's presentation of events is unfalteringly childlike as she brings the messy, mischievous fairy to life in Rosy's world. The story unfolds with subtlety and sensitivity to the emotional issues at its heart. The book's large format gives plenty of space for the vibrant mixed-media artwork. Incorporating many small, individual elements, the busy scenes inside the little house will fascinate the same children who love dollhouses, while the larger-scale paintings of Rosy and her family are striking in their simplicity and strength. Captivating.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist