GONE WITH THE WAND

When a fairy godmother’s wand gets that burnt look, and she doesn’t even have enough “bippidy left in her to salacadoo one more pumpkin,” it just may be time for a change of specialty. Or so advises Tooth Fairy Second Class Edith B. Cuspid, dismayed to see the legendary Bernice Sparkelstein sinking into a funk. Unfortunately, experiments with fairy dust, snowflakes and especially sugarplums don’t work out for Bernice at all. It’s time for something less traditional. In a flash of inspiration Edith comes up with just the thing. Tucking occasional bits of funny business into the backgrounds, Ajhar matches Palatini’s typically twinkly, playful prose with offhandedly baroque scenes of the two middle-aged fairies—one short and round in apron and pinafore, the other tall, skinny and sporting a feathered boa beneath a mane of frizzy red ringlets—flitting hither, yon and into the bedrooms of sleeping young royals. Capped with an ending as cozy as it is happy, this satisfying “fairy’s tale” offers children a bit of extra TLC, and perhaps a little nudge for some parents, too. (Picture book. 6-8)