PreS-Gr 1Little Clara is learning to be a "proper Christmas fairy." She and her three smiling, round-headed classmates are all young girls with wings. Miss Petal, a grown woman who also has wings, instructs them to "stand like statues" while holding "a fairy pose" and maintaining silence. Since the rhyming tale begins by telling readers that Clara is a lively chatterbox, it is no surprise when she doesn't live up to expectations. Just as she loses confidence, Santa asks her to save the Christmas show after the performers have all taken ill or had mishaps. With no preparation, she saves the show because she is so naturally special. Santa then explains that "not every Christmas fairy has to stand still on a tree." Nevertheless, the story ends with Clara posing at the top of a tree with her presumably more suited-to-the-task classmates in the lower branches. The illustrations are bright and charming, the rhyme works well, and the layout is attractive and readable, yet the premise is troubling. Why do these young fairies aspire to be living ornaments? The conflict is of little consequence and the resolution far too convenient (and pointless). VERDICT A lovely piece of holiday fluff for those who desire effortless cuteness.Linda Israelson, Los Angeles Public Library

A redheaded fairy named Clara and her three friends attend fairy school to prepare for a performance in a Christmas show. The four fairy friends look like preschool-age little girls with the addition of butterfly-shaped wings, but these fairies haven't yet learned to fly. Clara has red, curly hair and a bubbly personality, demonstrated by her love of singing, dancing, and playacting. She and her friends attend Miss Petal's school to learn to be Christmas fairies, with the goal of posing as ornaments hanging on a Christmas tree. Two of Clara's friends have brown skin and dark hair (one kinky and the other straight); Clara and the other characters are white. Clara likes to twirl and dance and has trouble being silent and holding a pose as Miss Petal instructs her to, like "a proper fairy on a Christmas tree." On the day of the performance, Santa asks Clara for her help with the show because the animal performers are all sick or injured. Clara saves the show with her talents, gaining confidence, and the story ends with the fairies posing silently as Christmas fairies on a huge, outdoor tree decorated by Santa. This sudden conformity undercuts Clara's success. While the illustrations are charming, the rhyming story has a singsong quality and some forced cheeriness in describing Clara's antics. Learning to be quiet, stay still, and hold a pose while looking pretty aren't particularly desirable goals for modern fairies…or today's young girls. (Picture book. 3-7)