Piper Green and the Fairy Tree

Starred review from June 15, 2015
Second-grade is not off to a good start for Piper Green: her new teacher has a no-nonsense streak, and Piper badly misses her older brother, who is attending high school on the mainland (the Greens live on a tiny Maine island). Skillfully blending humor, pathos, and warmth with an atmospheric setting, Potter has created an honest, empathic slice-of-life story, laced with a touch of magic. Piper has a winning combination of stubbornness, loyalty, and independence, which Leng ably portrays in her loosely inked, gently humorous artwork. Simultaneously available: Too Much Good Luck. Ages 7–9. Author’s agent: Alice Tasman, Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agency: Shannon Associates.

June 15, 2015
When her older brother goes off-island for high school, second-grader Piper Green misses him terribly but finds consolation in a Fairy Tree. There aren't enough young people on Peek-a-Boo Island to support any school. Piper, her little brother, Leo, and a few neighbors travel by lobster boat to a small elementary school on nearby Mink Island, but high school students, like her brother Erik, must go to the mainland and board. On opening day of the Mink Island school, the combined second- and third-grade class turns out to have a new teacher. With her long blonde hair, Ms. Arabella may look like a princess, but she's surprisingly strict. She won't let Piper and her best friend, Ruby, sit together, and she asks unhappy Piper to take off Erik's old ear muffs, which she's been wearing as solace. Piper's response is to give up on second grade. It takes an understanding neighbor and the Fairy Tree's surprising gift to restore her good spirits. Piper's first-person narration is forthright and convincing. Each short chapter will include a full-page illustration and vignettes supporting the text. (Final art not seen.) Cliffhanging chapter endings lead readers on. A sequel, Too Much Good Luck, is scheduled to be published simultaneously. With its intriguing setting, sympathetic characters, and hint of magic, this new chapter-book series should charm fledgling readers. (Fiction. 7-9)

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July 1, 2015

Gr 1-3-Piper Green is a smart-alecky second grader who lives on Peek-a-Boo Island off the coast of Maine. She proudly rides a lobster boat to school each morning and is obsessed with wearing earmuffs that belonged to her older brother, Erik. Her preoccupation with those earmuffs has landed her in trouble. Piper refuses to remove them for her new teacher, who complains to her parents. To avoid going to school, Piper fakes an illness and hides in a neighbor's tree. While this "fairy" tree contains no real magic, it does hold a delightful surprise. Sadly, this contemporary tale is slight and lacks any real humor. Piper's slim adventures will not hold the interest of their target audience. While the writing style is clear with a strong use of vocabulary, Piper herself is two-dimensional. Though a certain level of bratty behavior is amusing in books for younger readers, such as Junie B. Jones's attitude, Piper's cockiness comes off as downright rude. Her demeanor is attributed to her older brother's absence, but the reason for his disappearance is simplistic and unsatisfying. The minimal pen-and-ink illustrations, mostly of a frowning Piper, add little to the story. VERDICT Those seeking an engaging adventure would do much better with Sara Pennypacker's "Clementine" (Disney-Hyperion) or Christine Pakkala's "Last but Not Least Lola" (Boyds Mills).-Sada Mozer, Los Angeles Public Library

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