11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good but not for the very young, December 31, 2007
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.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better than the first book!, August 22, 2007
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.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wand Madness, September 8, 2008
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)
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