Diary of a Fairy Godmother [Paperback]

Esme Raji Codell (Author), Drazen Kozjan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

Hunky Dory is at the top of her class in charm school. She can make flowers wilt like wet spaghetti. She can make thunder rumble like a whale's bellyache. And she can turn any prince into a frog-but she always changes them back. That's when she knows there'll be a problem

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6 -With humor and ingenuity, Codell weaves an unusual, intriguing, and enjoyable story. Hunky Dory is the top student in her charm school, but her inner conflict about the purpose of witchcraft plagues her. She wonders if it must always be focused on evil. Hunky becomes interested in the work of fairy godmothers, a group looked down upon by ordinary witches, and, after much soul searching, she concludes that she wants to become one. Characters from well-known fairy tales weave in and out of the story. The protagonist's conflict with her mother escalates when she is thrown out of school for questioning the value of evil and of granting wishes. Her Aunt Malice is the voice of wisdom and helps guide her on her search for her own true mission. Double entendres add to the book's humor. Underlying the fantasy are subtleties about school cliques, the challenge of listening to one's own voice, and the need for girls to value intelligence and power rather than superficial attributes. There are references throughout the book to the wisdom found in Be the One with the Wand, the charm school's textbook; it offers valid advice to live by ("If you're between a rock and a hard place, stand still"). This is a fun read that will have particular appeal to fans of Eva Ibbotson's Not Just a Witch (Dutton, 2003).-Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. Codell, author of Sahara Special (2003) and Sing a Song of Tunafish (2004), offers a shrewd fantasy about a young witch's identity crisis. Adolescent Hunky Dory enjoys studying to be wicked alongside Acid Reflux, Sinus Infection, and other members of her coven. But is a life of toil and trouble really for her? Even though her elders dismiss fairy godmothers as "vapid underachievers," Hunky finds the prospect of granting wishes strangely compelling. She tests her skills in storybook forest, putting the fairy in numerous, familiar fairy tales (What did Wolf want with that frilly nightgown, anyway?) The events prompting Hunky's reconciliation with her disapproving mother seem a little confused, and not every reader will respond to Codell's tart, sophisticated humor. But many girls, particularly fans of Eva Ibbitson and Vivian Vande Velde, will find a sympathetic heroine in Hunky Dory, in whom mischief and sweetness coexist--just as they do in the concluding recipe for Hunky's favorite "booger cookies." Sly, stylish full- and half-page drawings contribute added appeal. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (September 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786809663
• ISBN-13: 978-0786809660
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,039,256 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Esmé Raji Codell is the author of the acclaimed novel Sahara Special, winner of the IRA Children's Book Award, a Kirkus Editors' Choice for 2003, and a BookSense 76 #1 title; as well as a memoir for young readers, Sing a Song of Tuna Fish: Hard-to-Swallow Stories from Fifth Grade. A former teacher, bookseller, and children's librarian, she lives with her husband and son in Chicago. Sahara Special and Sing a Song of Tuna Fish Hard-to-Swallow Stories from Fifth Grade are also available on audio from Listening Library.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A charming, clever, and magical tale, June 24, 2005

By 

A Customer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diary of a Fairy Godmother (Hardcover)

DIARY OF A FAIRY GODMOTHER is told in first person by Hunky Dory, a young witch who attends Harbinger's Charm School for Young Witches. Hunky is at the head of her class in charm school. She can turn princes into dragons and make teacups and hats appear out of thin air. Her classmates are jealous of Hunky's ability to cast any spell without disaster. Her mother, a brewer of magic potions, thinks Hunky will grow up to be the most wicked witch wherever the four winds blow.

It isn't long before trouble begins. At first, her classmate, Frantic Search, notices Hunky undoing an evil charm. Then Hunky is invited to a baby christening at the castle. She watches fairy godmothers giving wonderful gifts to the newborn baby. After her Auntie casts a wicked spell on the new baby, Hunky uses her magic to undo the spell. When she does, she gets a warm, tingling sensation all over her body. She wonders if it would be possible to become a fairy godmother herself.

When Hunky's mother, Auntie, and Mrs. Harbinger learn that Hunky is considering changing careers, they try to discourage her. Despite their efforts, Hunky is more determined than ever to try granting wishes for a living. She sets up shop in the bottom of a wishing well and grants wishes to people who toss down coins. Eventually, Hunky decides that she wants to become a real fairy godmother, but it will take the help of a special girl named Cinderella to make it happen.

Esme Raji Codell, who has worked as a teacher, a children's librarian, and a bookseller, is the author of two previous books for children: SING A SONG OF TUNA FISH: Hard-to-Swallow Stories From Fifth Grade, and SAHARA SPECIAL, which was the winner of the IRA Children's Book Award.

DIARY OF A FAIRY GODMOTHER is a clever addition to her growing body of work. It is a story about empowerment and making things happen rather than just waiting and wishing for them to happen.
[...]

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love Esme Raji Codell!, March 29, 2007

By 

K. Fournier "kr!sten" (austin, tx, usa) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Diary of a Fairy Godmother (Hardcover)

The cover alone should be enough to convince any preteen female to read it! Hunky Dory is close to graduating from witch school. Her proud mother proclaims she will be the "wickedest witch wherever the four winds blow." The problem is that Hunky isn't so into being bad. She drops out to practice "wishcraft" instead of witchcraft, to the dismay of her teacher. Hunky was the class star! Dropping out promptly gets Hunky kicked out of home, too. She sets up shop in a nearby forest, practicing as an amateur fairy godmother, doing good deeds in order to feel the warm satisfaction of a job well done fill her body. In her journey to turn good and become a legitimate fairy godmother, Hunky finds herself involved in various fairy tales like Rumpelstiltskin, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. This book has awesome illustrations that enliven the text, and it's fun from beginning to end. I would highly recommend it to a child of any age, especially ones that are a little goth, and to anyone who's interested in reading about witches and/or fairy tales.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Diary of a Fairy Godmother, August 21, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Diary of a Fairy Godmother (Hardcover)

this book was entertaining.............. is good for a rainy day