Beck and the Great Berry Battle

(Disney Fairies)

by
Laura Driscoll

illustrated by

Judith Holmes Clarke

& The Disney Storybook Artists

Random House, January 2006, 113 pp.
ISBN: 0-7364-2373-7

Genre: Early Chapter
Subgenres: Disney / Fairies
Reviewed: 9/28/2006

Reviewed by: Conan Tigard

Book Cover

"Okay, Twitter," Beck said. "What is it. I'm listening."

Twitter zigged this way and zagged that way in the air. "I'm telling you," he said, "it's an emergency! It's--" Twitter looked nervously over one wing, then the other. He flew right up to Beck's left ear and whispered. "It's the chipmunks."

"The chipmunks?" Beck said at a normal volume. "What about the chipmunks?"

"Shhh!" Twitter cringed and went on whispering. "Not so loud! They might be listening. They're everywhere." Twitter shot glances over both wings again. Then he continued. "And they're so grabby and strange. I think they have it in for all of us birds. They come right up into the trees and shrubs. They gather all the seeds and acorns and berries in sight. And then, get this: they don't eat the stuff. They carry it away with them to the underground nests. You know what I think? I think they're hoarding all that food. They're taking it and storing it somewhere--just so the birds can't have it. Twitter backed away from Beck's ear. He stopped whispering. "Why would they do that, Beck? Why?"

Beck listened carefully to everything Twitter said. She managed to keep a straight face the whole time. But when Twitter was done, she couldn't help it. She smiled. Then she giggled.

Synopsis

In Pixie Hollow, the secret heart of Never Land, something is wrong. Great big berries are raining down on the fairies. Beck, one of the finest animal-talent fairies in Pixie Hollow, has a hummingbird friend names Twitter.

Twitter is worried that the chipmunks are taking all of the food. When a hummingbird nest disappears, the birds blame the chipmunks. The chipmunks, not liking to be blamed for something that they claim that they didn't do, started throwing berries at the birds. Thus, the Great Berry Battle begins.

While Beck begins a quest to find the missing nest, things are getting more and more out of control. Other animals have joins the battle taking sides with either the birds or the chipmunks until practically all of the creatures in Pixie Hollow are on one side or the other. Can Beck find the missing nest and put a stop this big battle? She can't do it alone . . . that's for sure.

Beck and the Great Berry Battle is another book in the Disney Fairies series and is written by Laura Driskoll and illustrated by Judith Holmes Clarke. This stand alone book is also illustrated by the Disney Storybook Artists. This series is intended for young readers aged 7 to 9.

Review

Again, we have another excellent Disney Fairies book in Beck and the Great Berry Battle. I was highly entertained with Beck and her friends as she tries her hardest to understand what this battle is all about. The story moves along at an excellent pace and is very well written.

Once again, the animation is wonderful and very beautiful.

The underlying theme of the story is not to assume things about a race just because they are different. Early Chapter Readers will love this new addition to the Disney Fairies series. I do like that we get to learn about more of the fairies from Pixie Hollow, other than the famous Tinker Bell, whom we all adore. I also like that all of the fairies have different talents.

Laura Driscoll does a wonderful job of storytelling and girls will especially delight in this story.

Overall, Beck and the Great Berry Battle is a fun and fancy free book that any lover of Disney or fairies will highly relish.

I rated this book a 9 out of 10.