A Perfect View

November 1, 2016

Gr 1-4-In this third installment in the series about a Latina girl who discovers she is a fairy, 10-year-old Cici is still learning about her powers, including fairy sight, which allows her to see her mother as part octopus, her father as part bear, and her dog as part dragon. Her abuela, or grandmother, tells Cici that this ability will help guide her through life, from coping with her parents' divorce to making new pals. Cici is excited as she sets out on a camping trip with her father, her little sister, her friend Kendra, and her dog, but her grandmother cautions her that nature is a powerful force with magic all its own and emphasizes the importance of having the right attitude. However, Cici has difficulty remembering her grandmother's advice, and things go increasingly wrong, partly thanks to a forest sprite. Though the girl reaches her breaking point, she soon realizes that things aren't so bad, and readers will appreciate her resilient spirit. While this work is set in the world of magic and fantasy, Cici and the problems she encounters are relatable. The artwork is cartoonish and resplendent with color, and Spanish words appear throughout the text. VERDICT Fans of the earlier books will be excited about Cici's latest escapade.-Lisa Gieskes, Richland County Public Library, Columbia, SC

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2017
On a camping trip, Cici finds her stubbornness and magic at odds in this third series outing.Ten-year-old Latina fairy Cici cannot wait to take her best friend, Kendra, camping with her little sister and her dad. She's planned out every second of their trip, from kayaking to roasting marshmallows. However, things go wrong as soon as they pull up to the campsite, and one by one, Cici's plans are derailed. On top of everything, Cici is followed by an adorably strange bilingual forest creature with magical powers who wants to be her friend. Since this creature wasn't part of her plans, Cici sees it as a nuisance. Only when she decides to forego her strictures and roll with the punches does Cici realize that the trip had truly been a success and that she can't plan everything. As in previous volumes, Doerrfeld and Page have stayed visually consistent, with a sweeping spectrum of bright, pleasing hues and an emphasis on whimsical pinks and purples. However, this volume--like Cici herself, at times--seems to be conflicted. The narrative arc doesn't need magic to work, and here it feels like an afterthought, there to suit Cici's fairy persona rather than integral to the story. A misstep in the series but not so egregious as to completely alienate fans. (Graphic fantasy. 7-11)

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