Diary of a Fairy Godmother - Softcover

Esm Raji Codell is the author ofHanukkah, Shmanukkah!,illustrated by LeUyen Pham,Diary of a Fairy Godmother, with illustrations by Drazen Kozjan; a memoir for young readers,Sing a Song of Tuna Fish: Hard-to-Swallow Stories from Fifth Grade,and the IRA Children's Book Award winner,Sahara Special. Her first book was the memoirEducating Esm: Diary of a Teacher's First Year, and her most recent book for adults isHow To Get Your Child to Love Reading.She has worked as a children's bookseller, teacher, and school librarian, and now runs the popular children's literature Web site www.planetesme.com, and literary salon, The Planet Esm Bookroom. Esm lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

Narrator Rachel Lillis introduces us to diarist Hunky Dorey, a witch considering abandoning a promising future in witchcraft for the possibility of "wishcraft," the art of fairy godmothering. Lillis's vocal characterization reveals the idealism and kindness that make Hunky question her upbringing, but she fails to make the listener believe the venom that is also part of Hunky's character and that creates the story's central conflict. As a whole, the audio doesn't overcome the novel's slow pace. Some of the voices for the secondary characters are outstanding--as in the case of Hunky's sophisticated aunt--but Lillis misses opportunities when she reads flatly and doesn't keep the dialogue snappy. A.F. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine