Fira and the Full Moon

(Disney Fairies)

by
Gail Herman

illustrated by

The Disney Storybook Artists

Random House, August 2006, 113 pp.
ISBN: 0-7364-2417-2

Genre: Early Chapter
Subgenres: Disney / Fairies
Reviewed: 2/13/2008

Reviewed by: Conan Tigard

Book Cover

Visiting the Potions Workshop

The Potions Workshop was on the third floor of the Home Tree. The door was wide open.

Fira knocked. Then she flew in, followed by the triplets.

The young fairies gazed around the room. Rows of birch-bark shelves filled the workroom from ceiling to floor. Each shelf was crammed with potions, medicines, and plant extracts. Each jar was clearly labeled.

"'Ground-up pine nuts,'" Sparkle read. "'Laurel-leaf bits.' 'Sesame oil.'"

"Elixa?" Fira called. She flew up and down the rows.

"Let's open the jars and smell what's inside," Sparkle whispered to the others. She twisted off a top. "Ugh! Peat moss."

Glory and Helios started to open jars, too.

"Don't do that," Fira warned, flying back.

"'Right-on-thyme powder. Very fine," Helios read, flying to the top shelf.

Sparkle picked up the jar. "Glory, you should try this!" she called. "You're always last. You're never on time." She pretended to toss it to the younger fairy.

"Stop!" Fira hissed. She took the jar out of Sparkle's hands and put it back on the shelf.

"Is there any skin cream here, I wonder?" Helios said as he sorted through more potions in the corner.

"This is a workshop," Fira said. "We really have to be careful."

"Okay," Glory agreed. She spun around clumsily, knocking over a jug marked MUSHROOM POISON! STAY AWAY!

Fira caught the bottle just before it hit the ground.

Review

In Pixie Hollow, the secret heart of Never Land, lives Fira , a light-talent fairy. She has trained all of the fireflies to go around as dusk approaches and light all the lamps that keeps Pixie Hollow lit up at night. But the fireflies are sick, so Fira and the other light-talent fairies must do the work of the firefliess. Suddenly, it is announced that a baby has had their first laugh, and it was a special one. In fact, it was so special that not just one fairy was born, but three! These three fairies, Sparkle, Helios and Glory, all proclaim to be light-talent fairies. Fira takes them under her wing to show them around, but being newly born, they cause a lot of mischief, even if they don't mean to. Fira has a very hard time controlling them, and she was already exhausted from doing the fireflies' work. And since it is a full moon, the miner fairies need to go on their monthly expedition into the caves and need light. Fira agrees to go with them, since the fireflies are sick, and light their way. Because she is so tired, her light begins to fade until all the fairies are left standing in the pitch black cave. Fira tries and tries, but she is too tired and cannot give off any light. They are stuck.

Fira and the Full Moon is another book in the Disney Fairies series. It is written by Gail Herman and illustrated by The Disney Storybook Artists. This series is intended for young readers aged 7 to 9.

Boy, oh boy, are Sparkle, Helios and Glory ever a handful. They get into everything and don't listen to Fira at all. Whenever she gives them a little freedom, they usually end up making mistakes that Fira has to apologize for. I felt sorry for Fira having to watch over these three new fairies. Having been both a parent and an elementary school teacher, I know what a handful children can be. And did she ever have some trouble wrangling in these three, I can tell you. To top it off, Fira still had to do her own work, and the work of the fireflies also. Whew! I do not envy her. Gail Herman weaves a wonderful story about light-talent fairies in Fira and the Full Moon. Once again, the Disney Storybook Artists to a smashing job with the artwork. It is always beautiful. This book is an excellent addition to the Disney Fairies series. Overall, I highly enjoyed this tale of magic and wonder as I was transported to Pixie Hollow. Gosh, I sure do wish I could be a Sparrow Man and live there with all the other fairies. Wouldn't that be cool? Well, since I can't be, at least I can read about them.

I rated this book a 9 out of 10.