Mister Fairy

A fairy leaves his forest home and travels to the city in search of his special talent. Unlike the other forest fairies, who all have their own unique skills, Mister Fairy feels useless. "Sad and unhappy," he leaves the forest only to arrive in "a very different forest" (depicted in Pigé's artwork as a city) where everything is "dark and gray and colorless" and its inhabitants also seem sad and unhappy. Then Mister Fairy tentatively waves his wand, and magically the city's awash in color, making the people smile. "No longer feeling sad and unhappy," Mister Fairy heads into the subway, where he waves his wand again and tickles passengers with his tiny wings, prompting everyone to laugh. Back on the street, he transforms outdoor cafe umbrellas into giant cotton-candy balls, delighting all. Returning home, Mister Fairy discovers his forest has lost its color, and his forest friends no longer laugh or smile without him. Realizing he's not the "most useless fairy" after all, a now-confident Mister Fairy knows just what to do. Whimsical illustrations rely on abstract, simple shapes and soft colors to capture Mister Fairy's transition from frowning and purposeless to smiling and fulfilled. Humorously presented as a miniature elephant in a dress with itty-bitty wings and a wand, Mister Fairy's tiny, solitary figure will engender chuckles as he deliberately flits across the pages, spreading color, smiles, and even cotton candy. A delightful, lighthearted tale of self-discovery. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.