Penelope Jane: A Fairy's Tale
Penelope Jane, an eyelash-high French fairy, promises to act "perfectement" if only she can accompany her best friend, Carrie, to school. But Penelope's behavior is far from perfect: she logrolls the chalk, falls in the glue, and gets stuck in a sandwich, covered with mustard. Finally, the teacher sends the boisterous sprite to a corner, while all the other children file out for lunch. Chagrined, Penelope Jane sits quietly, until... Oh no! Fire in the trash can! Poor P.J. is too light to pull the alarm bell. Is the classroom doomed to burn? Not if this feisty fairy has anything to say about it!Penelope Jane's quick wits and very human (even for a fairy) flaws make her a terrific--albeit tiny--role model. When faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, she remembers a song her mother sings, called "How to Be Strong," and, buoyed by this esteem booster, she manages to save the day. In her first children's book, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash has produced a lively, likable heroine and a thoroughly satisfying fairy's tale, complete with lyrics and music. G. Brian Karas's fluttery fairy wing illustrations and mounds of crusty fairy-baked croissants ("Seven croissants / was their favorite treat") are a perfect foil for Cash's droll rhyming text. (Ages 4 to 8)--Emilie Coulter