I can't say I actually cared for this story. It's a typical misunderstood, poor-pitiful me story of Rani who feels very un-fairy like since she had to cut off her wings to save Mother Dove's egg. I actually read this one after Girl, if I had read it first, I may not have let her read it. Rani feels she doesn't fit in and runs away...how typical, instead of finding a friend or elder to talk to or a new place in the fairy hierarchy, he just runs away into the night. Yes, this is the message I want my 8 year old daughter, preparing for her tween and adolescent years to read...you don't feel like anyone understand you...you don't fit in...why don't you run away then and have an adventure. You'll show them, and when you finally realize that you miss home and want to come back...of course they'll all throw a party for you because they missed you so and running away was the best thing to do at the time.

The story does demonstrate how home and her friends/family is the best place for her, after she is attacked by a water snake, left alone in a deep abyss by the selfish and vain mermaids who treat her like a possession or trinket (gee, wonder what that could be alluding to in the "real world"), and being led to go back home by a sea horse and his own love for his family.

This just doesn't work for me and I think it's the wrong message to be sending to readers of this age. I know, I know...literature through the ages is chock full of run away kids who learn the best lesson of all (there's no place like home...). I suppose if one uses it as fodder for discussion about other things Rani could have done it'll be with having read it. I give it a C, simply because I don't think presenting running away as an adventure and having it be rewarded with a party in the end is really the best message to be sending young readers. ( )