I did not expect to like this as much as I did, but the writing really won me over. Laura Amy Schlitz can tell a story so well with so few words, which is a talent all great writers have. Consider this passage: "Young fairies have no one to take care of them because fairies make bad parents. Babies bore them. A fairy godmother is an excellent thing, but a fairy mother is a disaster." It's clever, funny, and sets up Flory's predicament quickly and convincingly.

I don't usually go for fairy stories, but this was more like a survival tale. Flory is all alone and needs to find shelter, food, and allies in order to survive. The other characters in the story (especially the not-too-bright, constantly hungry squirrel and the angry, stubborn spider) challenged Flory's courage and resourcefulness. I expected to find too much cute, but instead I got a satisfying little adventure.

I'm probably alone on this last point, but I'll say it anyway: I had to ignore the illustrations and focus on the writing in order to let myself like it. What's wrong with the illustrations? Oh, maybe it's just a sensibility thing. They felt out-of-date and precious, i.e. not my cup of tea. ( )

It's a fairy story. Flory is persnickety and self centered, which makes it extra hard for her to be respectful to and rely on others for help.

If you enjoy fairies and woodland creatures you will enjoy this story. As for the rest of us, meh. ( )

I loved this book. Flory's character development is a beautiful thing... and so are the illustrations.

The local five year old was disappointed that the fairy was not a knight -- causing me to wonder if there is a picture book version of Queen Mab! And as the resident naturalist geek, I am still trying to figure out a way for the bat who lands on the grass for a life-altering conversation with Flory, to get back into the air. Bats in my experience (and I confirmed this with a web search) are physically incapable of that kind of takeoff; they drop from a height and flutter, so they at least need to creep up to a branch two or three feet high. I wish this kind of impossible thing didn't bother me so much! ( )

(Review by Zoe, aged 6.) It's about a fairy who loses her wings. She grew up as a Night Fairy but she decides to be a Day Fairy. She thought that humans are giants. She's bossy and she makes friends with a spider and other creatures around the garden that she settles in with. She tries to boss them around and get them to do what she wants. I thought it was really good. ( )

When a young night fairy has her wings destroyed by a bat, she decides to become a day fairy. As she tries to adapt to living flightless in a garden, the little fairy makes new friends and discovers new things about herself and the world. This was a cute little children's story. I was expecting more though, I think I have been spoiled by some of the wonderful juvenile/middle school novels I have read lately (most notably those written by Kate DiCamillo). This was nice little story that would be a good read aloud for a young girl. The illustrations are beautiful, but the story didn't move me. ( )