Alice The Fairy [Hardcover]

David Shannon (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2004 | Age Range: 3 - 5 years | Lexile Measure: 510L (What's this?)

Caldecott Honor artist and bestselling author David Shannon's warm and funny new picture book introduces Alice, a mischievous little girl with a "No, David" nose for trouble and a magic wand.

Alice has a nose for trouble, but luckily she's a fairy--a Temporary Fairy. She has a magic wand, fairy wings, and a blanket, all of which she uses to disappear, to fly, to transform her dad into a horse, and to turn his cookies into her own! There are still a few things Alice needs to learn to become a Permanent Fairy, like how to float her dog on the ceiling and make her clothes put themselves away, but she's working on it--sort of. Here's an endearing, funny story about a girl and her magical imagination, sure to delight every fairy in training!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1–Donning a fairy costume inspires a little girl's imagination in this droll picture book. Alice speaks for herself, claiming she can fly (not too high but really fast), can change her dad into a horse (for a horsey ride), can make herself disappear (by flicking off the light switch with her wand), and can turn oatmeal into cake by pouring on fairy dust (sugar). There are elements of danger, such as broccoli poisoned by the wicked Duchess (Mom) and baths (fairies hate baths), as well as mischief ("…my mom made cookies for my dad. So I turned them into mine") and mishaps ("Once I accidentally turned my white dress into a red one"). Alice knows that Permanent fairyhood requires a lot of tests, attending Advanced Fairy School, and learning how to "make clothes get up off the floor and… line up in the closet," so she'll "probably be a Temporary fairy forever." With his signature cartoon-style art and childlike lettering, Shannon has created a winsome, exuberant heroine whose wide eyes and toothy smile bring David to mind, though Alice's blond ringlets are all her own. Variety in page and text layout and the use of brilliant color make the pictures dance and occasionally pop right off the pages. An enjoyable romp.–Marie Orlando, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS. If Shannon's David is a little devil, Alice is on the angelic side (almost). Using the same oversize format that he did in books such as No, David! (1998), Shannon introduces young Alice, a fairy-in-training dressed up with wings, a wand, and patent leather shoes. Similar to David, she is drawn in doll-like style (though her teeth aren't sharp). Alice talks directly to her audience, informing them what fairies do and how she works her magic. "One time my mom made cookies for my dad. So I turned them into mine," she says, as she eyes the plate of cookies; in the next picture the plate is almost empty, and there are crumbs all over Alice's face. A few of the analogies are a stretch (this fairy's life is filled with danger--in the form of broccoli), but kids will find most of the humor right at their level, in terms of both wit and imagination. The pictures are richly colored, some almost effervescent in their playfulness. A meeting between Alice and David would engender even more fun. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 3 - 5 years
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Blue Sky Press (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439490251
• ISBN-13: 978-0439490252
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

DAVID SHANNON is the illustrator of many successful picture books, including How I Became a Pirate. His numerous awards include a Caldecott Honor for No, David! He lives in Burbank, California.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars AN INSTANT CLASSIC!!! September 23, 2004

By C. A. HAMPTON

Format:Hardcover

From the author of the fabulous "No, David!" series of books, here's one for the little girls. Alice is the most adorable, precocious girl, who dresses up as a fairy (and is therefore a "temporary fairy." One has to go to a special school to become a permanent fairy.) I was always amazed by the David books because the author perfectly captures what an active little boy is like (exactly like my little brother, also named David). He did it again this time by perfectly capturing a little girl (like many 2-5 year olds) who hates to eat broccoli and take baths (so she hopes to use her magic wand to turn her bath into strawberry jello.) My 4 year old daughter was in stitches over the content and the amazing illustrations. This book will definitely be high on my Christmas list to give to all of my daughter's friends this year.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Alice Put Quite a Spell on Me Even As a Temporary Fairy! November 8, 2004

By Aunt Kiki

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This grand and hilarious farce by Shannon (No David! ) is irresistible! The story is told by its star - an adorable, precocious, preschooler with a fanciful imagination who believes she's a fairy! Accordingly, her blond curls are topped with a tiara, she wears strap-on wings, and wields a magic wand. Admittedly, she's only a "Temporary" fairy because she hasn't passed all of the magic tests or attended "Advanced Fairy School" - prerequisites to "Permanent' fairyhood. Alice exuberantly demonstrates her current array of tricks in loosely drawn, humorous, child-like illustrations. This includes "changing" her dad "into a horse" (having him give her a ride on his back), making herself "disappear" (by turning off the lights or hiding under her blanket), and "turning" her "oatmeal into cake" with "fairy dust" (sugar). She even tries unsuccessfully to do advanced tricks like making her "dog float on the ceiling" or her "clothes get up off the floor and dance around and line up in the closet." She must also protect herself from the "wicked Duchess" (Mom) who once "locked [her] in the tower" (her room) and might to "poison" her with broccoli. Highly recommended for ages 2 to 6

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Alice is Adorable! October 11, 2005

By Tracy Bartlett

Format:Hardcover

My 6 yr old loves all the "David" books. So when I saw that Shannon wrote one with a girl as the main character( for a 1st grader to read), I had to get it. The story is funny, the pictures are great.

Very imaginative.