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Philippa Fisher tries and fails to summon a fairy, but is taken aback when Daisy, the new girl at school, announces that she is her fairy godmother – or godsister, since they are the same age.

Daisy is not best pleased with Philippa, but she has a mission to fulfil and is obliged to stick with her until she has granted her three wishes. The three wishes are at the heart of a traditional story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, which touches on friendship, luck and how we decide what we really want. It sparkles with magic and has the same warmth, charm and quirky characterization that Liz Kessler brought to her first three books.

Out February 7th, 2008

http://www.lizkessler.co.uk

MY THOUGHTS:

I recently found this book at a local thrift shop and snatched it up right away. I’ve heard a lot about this author mainly for her other children’s series, “Emily Windsnap.”

A fairy tale fantasy involving a girl given three wishes that go awry and a fairy that must learn a lesson about compassion.

It’s a perfect book for young readers, with an evenly moving pace and cute characters. What initially attracted me to this book was the cover and the premise/synopsis I read on the back cover.

Naturally, I’m a sucker for a fantasy read… so I picked it up and with no regrets, read it. I loved it!
I can see a young reader sitting in his/her room with this book and experiencing the world of the fantasy genre for the first time, amid giggles of laughter and sighs of whimsy. It’s a great book and should entertain ages between 7 to ten/eleven easily.

The main characters, Phillipa and Daisy, soon become friends–one a human and the other, a fairy. Their character arcs develop wonderfully, with Daisy moving Phillipa toward her goals with humor and adventure.

It’s a good story to teach young ones to appreciate what you have, believe in yourself and treasure friendship–three great things to help get them through life. The writing appeals to young readers and is not written ‘over their heads.’

This is the first book in the series written by Liz Kessler. I searched for it when a friend’s daughter talked incessantly about it. I believe it appeals to those of grades four or five the most.

This book is nothing like “Emily Windsnap series,” even though I’ve heard many compare the two as being similar. I believe this is a first book in a series. There are also a few illustrations.

Overall, I think it’s a fun, cute read that will be easily enjoyed. ( )

Cute, fun, but utterly predictable to a person who's read thousands of MG stories.  I do recommend it to less jaded readers, but I won't bother with more by the author. ( )

Summary: Philippa Fisher, a normal eleven year old girl is excited to discover that the new girl at her school, Daisy, is her fairy godsister. However, Daisy is a fairy that is not fond of humans and can't wait to grant Philippa her three wishes so she can move on. Philippa's wishes seemed to do more harm than good, and were not helping her gain popularity at school. Daisy and Philippa eventually become friends and work together to retrieve Philippa's last wish that another girl in her class had stolen.

Personal reflection: I really enjoyed this book, and liked that the character started out tough but after seeing what a nice person Philippa was, realized that you can't judge people until you actually know them.

Class use: This book could be used to teach students not to judge each other, and the importance of friendship. ( )

Philippa Fisher's best friend leaves to move to the country where there is no internet. Philippa is so sad but something strange happens. A small daisy seems to understand her. She almost wonders if the daisy is a fairy. That night Philippa tosses the daisy out of her treehouse window. When she goes back to school, there is a new girl. She thinks she is better than everyone. Then she tells Philippa that she was thrown out a window. She wonders if she is the daisy but Philippa doesn't think that is possible. The next day the girl named Daisy tells Philippa that she is her fairy godmother. Philippa says she is not comfortable calling her a fairy godmother so she calls her fairy godsister. Philippa has three wishes. Wish one is to make her parents normal. Wish two is to become popular. Wish three - well you will have to find that one out yourself.
Overall Philippa Fisher's Fairy Godsister is an amazing book. It will keep you wondering how Philippa's life can get any more miserable. Or how Trisha Miles could make her feel so bad about herself. Philippa and Daisy don't get along but they figure it out in the long run. If you like fantasy or Liz Kessler, you would love this book; I know I did. ( )