Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Five Spring Fairies: A Counting Book with flaps and pop-ups
Illustrator: Kathy Couri
Novelty Book
For ages 2 to 4
Little Simon, 1980 ISBN: 978-1416939061
Five fairies are out in the garden getting things ready for the arrival of spring. When we meet them they are crowing their queen. Then one of the fairies flies away because she has work to do – she has "to make the leaves turn green."
Now the four remaining fairies decide to play ball. To and fro they toss a little green pea until one of their number has to go "to tell the rain to fall." Full of the joys of spring, the three fairies who are not working dance about and shout. Then the little fairy with the bluebell hat goes off to get the sun to come back out. Enough rain has fallen.
Spring is a busy time for the fairies in Fairyland. There are many chores to do though there is also plenty of time to play and to have fun. In this cunning little novelty title little children who like fairies can open the gatefold flaps on every page so see what the working fairies are up to. Pop-ups lie hidden beneath the flaps, and characters in little windows change as each flap is opened. Cheerful illustrations rendered in bright colors show delightful garden scenes, and grownups can use the book with its rhyming text to help their children perfect their counting skills.
