Title: Frances The Magical Fairy: And The Baby Gosling
Author: Tom Nelson
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1-5320-8316-7
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 38
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
It is time to sprinkle a little fairy dust on your imagination, brush off your Tinkerbell type of pixie wings, and fly into another adventure of Frances the Magical Fairy. In this episode, author Tom Nelson brings together a cast of animals from the forest to help Frances clean off the oil laden feathers of a poor little gosling, Gary. It seems as if Gary’s mother Goose, Gilda, doesn’t recognize him because of the black oil all over his body.
As the duo inquires their friends, which includes an owl, a bear, a fox, a rabbit and others, as to how to remove the oil, each seem dumbfounded with a clear answer, yet provide suggestions of which in most cases Frances believes provide too much risk. Finally, they come up with the idea to allow the human farmers solve the problem with soap and water.
The messaging of Frances The Magical Fairy: And The Baby Gosling falls under the category of simplicity in a story-line, but complex with introducing to the young reading audience many of the issues faced by wildlife. Certainly, having the oil-stained feathers are because of environmental pollution, yet other aspects of the lifestyles of the animals are also very craft fully embellished. I particularly liked the conversation with a bear; as the bear was preoccupied with catching salmon for building up his fat reserve for hibernation. Frances did her magic and provided the bear with fish after fish, as a thank you present for the bear’s help. In fact, whenever Frances did a favor, she always told them to do another favor to some other animal in return; spreading the generosity of coexistence, “Paying it forward” so to speak, and making for a better world.
It is often said that “Less is more,” and this style of storytelling is very powerful albeit seemingly simple on the surface. Reading this book to youngsters will help shape their values to better understand the fact that all creatures, both predators and prey, need to survive together. The little bit of magic goes a long way to help each of the personified animals, which brings to the malleable minds of the children that each of them have their own magic to use.
Author Tom Nelson seems to be quite prolific in his publishing of his series of children’s books, as Frances The Magical Fair: And The Baby Gosling will hold a well-deserved place on the bookshelves of children everywhere.
