There’s a bit of Harry Potter in here. Burtonwood isn’t a school for wizards, but slayers of elemental creatures, such as goblins and fire salamanders. And like The Giver, your future job is assigned to you. Emma, feisty honor student and daughter of a famous dragon slayer, would do anything to follow in her deceased mother’s footsteps. But Curtis Green steals the designation of dragon slayer, and Emma is stuck with fairies. Mostly the 10-inch kind that hang out at malls, shoplift, and gorge on Skittles. And prove impossible to kill.Which not only makes her the laughingstock of Burtonwood, but sets her up for a whole new slew of problems when a giant invisible killer fairy, called a darkhel, attacks the school. And she may have to turn to Curtis Green, job-stealer, for help.The parallels to Harry Potter and The Giver involve some plot points, but the tone here is entirely Amanda Ashby’s. Our heroine Emma is snarkier (a plus) but also whinier (a minus). She emails the principal every day for 5 weeks to try to win back to title of dragon slayer. But all this over-the-top whining is necessary to the plot. It sets up a slow transition in the relationship between Curtis and Emma. And it means that when Emma turns to the adults in her world for help, she’s the girl who cried wolf. Everyone but Curtis and a couple of Emma’s friends (nice side characters) think she’s just plotting to win her title of dragon slayer.I enjoyed the humor in this novel. The three small fairies who hang out at the mall are enjoyable to read, probably because they are as snarky as our heroine. Emma’s efforts to thwart them with hairspray and nail files while dodging the notice of the general public provide some nice slapstick.The darkhel did seem powerful, but neither it nor the method of trying to defeat it seemed fully realized.There’s a nice subplot about Emma’s struggle to accept the death of her mother and her father’s remarriage. In some ways Emma’s changing perspective about her family mirrors her changing perspective of Curtis Green. In the end this is less about defeating archenemies than recognizing Emma’s own hang-ups about her mother’s death and living up to her legacy. So this book was adorable, for a free strip that I've never even thought about reading until it was there for me to read. Emma attends an exclusive school for people who can see supernatural creatures. They are generally bad and each sophomore of the school is given their creature that they have to study, and slay for the next two years. Emma's mother was an amazing legend of a dragon slayer and she is bound and determined to follow in her footsteps. When the moment arrives she is instead given Fairies who are creatures that roam the mall and steal people's cappuccinos. She has to team up with the guy who was given her dragon slot and figure out who the darkhel is and why she is the only one who can see it. Can she over come her rage at him, the perception at school that she's crazy to figure it out before the gate to the supernatural is open forever? Was this book cute and fun? YesWould I have ever paid for this book? NeverWill I read more by this author? ehhhh probably neverWill I read this again? haha NopeAm I upset that I read this book? Not even a little bitFast and cute if you want a book for girls fifth-eighth graders who need something fast, light, cute then here you go.
What do You think about Fairy Bad Day (2011)?
super adorable book. loved it. will definitely have to check out the authors other books
—dipps
Some fun fluff for after you have had a taxing week or are on vacation
—Kiran
