Toots and the Upside-Down House

March 31, 1997
First-time novelist Hughes offers an inverted perspective of the world in this whimsical British import featuring the neglected daughter of a dedicated philatelist and an unconventional fairy-in-training. Touched by Olive the fairy's magic, Toots shrinks to near invisibility and rises up (feet first) into a well-organized network of fairies busily combating the mischief of goblins and sprites, who threaten to flood the house and thus ruin Mr. Wheate's precious stamp collection. Caught in a battle between destroyers and preservers, Toots learns about temptation, love and courage when her beloved teddy bear is captured. While the framework and archetypal characters are familiar, there is also much to spark the imagination in the author's invention of an elaborate hierarchy of tiny, mythical creatures. Pencil drawings by the three illustrators, whose styles differ markedly, capture the humorous aspects of portly, bespectacled Olive and the shifting moods of Toots. Readers who seek fantasy mingled with real-life conflicts will relish this adventure. Ages 8-12.