A SPOOKY, SPARKLY HALLOWEEN

Gerry shines again in the latest entry in the Very Fairy Princess series.

Halloween is near, and the perennial dilemma of what to wear is especially tricky for Gerry. She must find a costume that works with her wings and crown, after all. Even though she has “a THOUSAND ideas… / …nothing seems quite right.” Daddy suggests the obvious, Mommy offers encouragement, while brother Stewart cracks a joke. But “fairy princesses always come through in a pinch,” and Gerry decides to be an angel. Excited to get to school, Gerry meets up with her best friend, Delilah, who has come as a dentist because that is “what she wants to be when she grows up.” All goes well until rambunctious Connor has a ketchup mishap at lunch. Suddenly Delilah’s costume is ruined, and furthermore, the apparent spatter of blood “sends TOTALLY the wrong message about dentists!” Gerry applies fairy magic and comes up with a creative solution just in time for the Halloween parade. She makes a sacrifice for her friend and in turn inspires Delilah to be innovative. It’s hard not to warm to the irrepressible Gerry, even in her seventh picture-book outing.

Teamwork and being true to oneself are always celebrated, but Andrews, Hamilton, and Davenier combine talents to produce a charming tale full of girl power that readers can applaud.