NO RAIN, NO RAINBOW

A misanthropic fairy who’s here to learn magic, not make friends, nevertheless carves out a place for herself.

Like a goth descendant of Disney’s Maleficent, the doom-and-gloom star of Fay’s story hates glitter, smiles, and flowers, but she’s obliged to join the Fairy Scouts to “earn her magic” and become a full-fledged fairy. Eyes narrowed, Rainbow Sunshine introduces herself as “just Rain,” and she glowers at the motivational posters adorning the walls. When another fairy, Flutterfly, whose butterfly wings and antennae make her something of an oddity, crash-lands among the group, Rain feels a kinship with her fellow misfit—though it soon becomes clear that these two don’t have much in common. As the scouts work on their first project, amiable Flutterfly constantly urges Rain to “look on the bright side” and eagerly begins befriending the others, while Rain declares that she’s “flying solo.” After clashing with another scout, Rain strikes out on her own but quickly realizes that even the most independent fairies must rely on others from time to time. Though the writing is on the clunky side, the plot moves quickly, if a bit predictably. The protagonist’s transformation into a team player is a bit sudden, but young introverts will nevertheless appreciate Rain’s journey, as well as the ways in which the other fairies make space for Rain. Black-and-white cartoon drawings enliven most pages; most of the fairies appear pale-skinned.

Straightforward fare for chapter-book readers who prefer their fae on the snarky side.