The fairiest fairy by Anna Booth

Ill. by Rosalind Beardshaw. Nosy Crow, 2015. ISBN 9780857633156
(Age: Pre-school - Yr 2) Betty was a fairy who just never got things right,
She was always in a muddle though she tried with all her might.
No matter what Betty tried to do at fairy school, she just couldn't get herself sorted. Even her wand was tied on with elastic so she wouldn't lose it! And her first attempts at spells did not have the desired results. She can't scatter dewdrops or wake up the flowers or paint rainbows and she is terribly upset. But Betty has something else - she has compassion and empathy and as she wends her way through the book many of nature's gentle creatures are thankful for what she offers.
So when it is time for the Fairy Ball, Betty is disconsolate for she knows she will not be chosen as the fairiest fairy until.
This is a charming story - that focuses on friendship, persistence, resilience and individuality in a setting that will definitely appeal to most very young girls. Betty could become a role model as she refuses to give up, putting the needs of others first when she could be practising. Booth has chosen to write the story in rhyme so it has that rhythm that little ones like and Beardshaw's gentle, bright illustrations are a delightful accompaniment.
Given the continued popularity of stories about fairies that never seems to wane as each new class of preschoolers and Kindy kids comes to the library, this will be a popular addition to the New-For-You display at the beginning of term.
Barbara Braxton