Tia the Tulip Fairy

Last year my oldest daughter started loving the Rainbow Magic fairy transitional chapter books. Coming in various sets of books following certain patterns, the books provide readers with a layer of comfort. Whereas Junie B. Jones books start with the same paragraph and readers can expect a certain general direction of the books, these books are even more predictable. At the start of each set, readers come to expect that two friends, Kirsty and Rachel will find a fairy in need. Those fairies will let them know of something that Jack Frost and his goblins stole, and of course, Kirsty and Rachel will recover the items one book at a time until all is back to normal.

Thus, I already knew what to expect when I opened up Tia the Tulip Fairy, the initial book in the Petal Fairies set. At 67 pages with frequent illustrations, it is typical in length for the series. Because the initial books in the sets always have to set up the scenario for what Jack Frost and the goblins stole, by the time it gets to the confrontation with the goblins, all is resolved quickly. The remaining books in the sets typically have more space to build the tension over time.

The books also provide a simple introduction to the fantasy genre. The start of the books have maps, including key locations throughout the series, such as the Fairyland Palace, Jack Frost's Ice Castle, as well as locations specific to the set, such as Blossom Hall and the Fairy Garden.

Though they are meant to be read in succession, my girls often just grab a random book. Because they are so predictable, readers are not lost if they read them as stand alones. Some may argue that these books do not have a lot to offer because they are so predictable; however, I think that they serve a purpose of building motivation for some readers. As long as kids have an interest, I would advocate for providing access to the books. However, teachers and adults should be ready to think ahead to which books to suggest next when the pattern does get old. (And as a parent, I have to keep reminding myself that it is about when it gets old for the girls, rather than for me!)