THE FAIRY FASHION SHOW

Fae fashionistas strut their stuff.

As it turns out, fairies love couture; a fairy named Lily explains to readers that they sport jewelry and clothes inspired by the natural world. Held in a leafy glade, their annual fashion show offers them the chance to show off their finery. Lily’s human friend, Willow, admires fairy fashion and wishes she could wear some of it. So Lily organizes a makeover, assigning jobs to the other sprites. Jasmine styles Willow’s hair, while Sky makes her a necklace out of flowers. Initially clad in overalls, Willow finishes the story in a long-skirted pale lavender dress. Lily makes Willow a lustrous pair of matching wings and, just before the show starts, adds a sprinkling of fairy dust. Composed of curving lines, Jackson’s swirling, sparkling illustrations play to the most romantic impulses: Twisting vines, tendrils of hair, flower petals, ballerinalike tutus, and shiny fabrics make every page shimmer. The typeface is large, many words are single-syllable, and a sense of pleasant anticipation will carry new readers onward through the brief story. Newcomers and fans of the pair’s other outings, including the picture book Lily’s Dream (2025), will be pleased. Willow and Lily present Black; the fairies vary in skin tone and body type.

An inviting fantasy for fashion-forward beginning readers.