Customer Reviews

Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Given that we were all big fans of Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg, we were anxiously awaiting Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand. My library was a little behind on picking up this book, so I finally broke down and picked it up at the bookstore. Over a period of 3 days around New Year's, I read this to my 5 ½ year old daughter. She's at a point where she can't read for herself yet, but enjoys longer chapter books that still contain a picture here or there. Some of our favorites are the Little House books which we've now read almost all of them. Make sure that you're not missing out on the other non-Laura series. If you haven't already, go pick up Little House on the Highlands which is about Laura's great grandmother Martha when she was a little girl in Scotland. That's followed by a series about Charlotte (grandma), then Caroline (Ma). It eventually ends with Rose, Laura's daughter. But I digress.
All in all a good read, but maybe a little too mature in some places as well as difficult to follow. The mature point is a minor one. At one point, one of the fairies makes a wish that another fairy would feel for him romantically. It's really no problem, just not something I'd like to expose my 5 ½ year old to just yet. (If I could wait until she was 25, that would be fine too- spoken like a true dad). They also use the word "hate" throughout the book. Might be just me but that's a word we really try not to use.
The most difficult thing with the story is trying to follow what's going on. Again, it might be fine for older kids that can read to themselves, but my kid really struggled. They bounce around from story line to story line. For example, one paragraph will be about 2 mermaids carrying on a conversation, the next is following the fairies in a balloon and the next could be about Mother Dove back in the nest. My daughter's not used to those quick transitions yet. Several times I stopped and asked my daughter if she knew what was going on or why the characters were doing what they were doing. Often times she didn't. Also, for whatever reason Ms. Levine chose to make one of the fairies- Rani- finish everyone's sentences. That gets tiresome to read over and over and over again.
Still, it was a quick read. The story was entertaining (it's really Lord of the Rings for little kids as the wand gives everyone "Wand madness"). The message is a good one and the characters are enjoyable. I struggled between 3 and 4 stars but will err on the higher side assuming older kids will get more out of than littler ones. We'll read the next one as well.

This second Disney Fairies hardback novel by Ella Enchanted-author Gail Carson Levine is even better than the first. Full of charm and wit, it tells a terrific story that teaches some good moral values -- mainly concerning the evils that can come with greed and power.

Also better than ever are the illustrations. About every fourth page has a large watercolor; one is a four-page fold-out. Underneath the dust jacket, the book cover has a watercolor on its front and back.

Ella Enchanted (Trophy Newbery) is still a cut above, but if you're looking for a Disney novel you can't do much better that this one.

Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand
By Gail Carson Levine

Soop is a mermaid in Neverland. She is threatening to flood Neverland, unless the fairies get her a wand.

Tinkerbelle, and the other fairies are sent on a quest to get a wand from the Great Wandies. The wandies are willing to give up the wand to help save Fairy Haven. The wandies decide it would be best if they put the wand to sleep.

Each fairy is allowed to have one wish, on the way back to Fairy Haven. One fairy wishes to have wings, so she can fly, and then turns around and wishes for Soop to be her friend. Tinkerbelle wishes for Peter Pan to fall in love with a clam shell.
The fairies get carried away with wishes and they all get `wand madness'. This means, they can't stop using the wand.

The magic of fairy dust has always been enough for the fairies, until the wand takes over.

The mermaid, Soop, turns one fairy into a bat, by singing her song, before she can warn the mermaid that wand wishes are permanent. Soop makes it so her friend cannot speak, or read, the friend wishes that Soop can't be heard.

When the fairies sneak in and take the wand from the mermaids, the wand is in a dream state. The wand makes the fairies grow and shrink, grow and shrink.

Tinkerbell tries to tame the wand. Will she be able to control the wand, without getting wand madness, again? Will the fairies be able to return to their normal size? How can the fairies return the wand and return to their calm, peaceful kingdom?

Although, this book is very fast paced and exciting, at first, it was a little hard to follow. It took awhile before I realized I was reading about Tinkerbelle and Neverland. I think it would be best to read Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg, first.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)

The audiobook version is spectacular. The "voice" of the audiobook is one of the most talented women I have ever listened to. I highly recommend the CD version if your child is having trouble with the words.

This is by far the best of the Fairy Haven stories. Apparently Disney has come to trust Levine because all of her characters are now allowed to have clearly defined "edges" and imperfections. The fairies are much more "distinct" from each other, which is a good thing.

The world of the fairies is expanded in this book to include some pretty weird stuff, but thats OK because this is fantasy.

The Beck character is greatly improved from previous books, thank you.

The two mermaids are hilarious.

Even the male fairy (I forget his name) is starting to be almost believable. (He could still stand some improvement. He seems kind of like a "paper doll". I think he needs a back-story or something. It's hard to explain what he's lacking....)

Levine's portrayal of Vidia as a speed addict is inspired! The "flying-talent fairy" is usually portrayed as a generic spiteful bully (yawn) but here she is almost numinous in her obsession. There is something awesome in her complete disregard for her own body when it comes to filling her "need for speed".

There is always a danger with using a well-known character in a new story, but Levine manages it with grace: Tinkerbell is handled quite nicely and never seems like a "guest star" in her Fairy Haven books.

Great Job!

While fairies are common fodder for girl's entertainment, the Disney Fairies series is something that stands out. Starring Tinkerbell and a host of individual characters, these books do not employ the trite character formula of "Brainy Girl", "Fashion Girl", "Sporty Girl" and "Shy Girl" that so many books and movies fall back on.

There are real, personal issues addressed within these fantasy adventures and pixie dust or not, there are no easy fixes or straw men challenges here. The characterization is solid throughout and while the characters do grow and discover things about themselves, there are no pat changes of heart; no last-chapter redemptions from evil to sweetness and light.

I highly recommend these books to any parent who wants a little bit more from their daughter's entertainment.

Hi well to start I loved the first book and when I saw this in a book store and got it. I read it within a day it's fun and if you're like me you want to know what it's about and it goes like this:
Remember in the first book when they needed a mermaid's comb and the mermaid Soop traided it to them but she wanted a magic wand in exchange? Of course they didn't have a wand to give the mermaid and she became furious and sent a flood to distroy fairy haven unless they brought her a wand! Then Tinker bell, Ree, and Rani go on a quest to find the great wandies. But wands are mischeivious and the great wandies must put it to sleep so it won't hurt them. But asleep wands can't reverse the wishes made with it. And then there's a whole lot of other stuff that happens. Anyhow this is a good book I would give it 5 stars but I wasn't really happy with the way it ended cause The wings Rani wished for disappear and a bat lives inside her mind forever! But it is a good book and if you're a fan of disney fairies you need to get it. Gotta go hope this was helpful Brooke.

Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand is an excellent book! I started reading it and couldn't put it down. It is an excellent tale of how you have to be careful what you wish for. I loved the plot twists as well. If you have a young daughter who loves Disney Fairies, this book is well worth your money. The pictures are absolutely gorgeous as well! I hope that Ms. Levine writes a third book about Fairy Haven!

We love the whole Disney Fairy series. These larger books are wonderful for reading to a 5-7 year old! My daughter and I read them every night, and it takes about 3 weeks to finish one of the big ones. I only wish there were more in the series, we are almost done!

I'll admit, I'm not one to want to give my kids a lot of stuff branded by Gigantic Entertainment Corporations, but Ms. Levine takes the original and more, erm, *contemporary* Pan Legends, along with some sly & subtle asides that reference a mermaid movie your kids may know, and works all of that together in a way that respects her young audience and will charm their parents as well. This is a seriously literate book with a lot of what I call "$10 words" for young readers. My own little fairy/neverland fanatic is at the lower end of the recommended age range, with some reading/speech disabilities, and slogged through the tough bits of vocabulary - much of it flowery and anachronistic - without complaint. Don't know if I can credit that the amazing watercolor illustrations (some fold out of the book) or just getting hooked and having to know what happens next, but I know we'll be looking for "Ella" & other books from this author.

I purchased this for my 10 year old daughter. She really enjoyed reading this book. She read through the entire book in less than a week...and wanted to read more of the same. No regrets in the purchase.