CLEMENCY POGUE: FAIRY KILLER
by J. T. Petty
illustrated by Will Davis
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0689872364
Ages 8-12
128 pages

Clemency Pogue, an independent girl of 11, loves listening to stories. She is well-versed in many of the more familiar ones, such as PETER PAN, as her parents retell these tales and weave new ones for entertainment following dinner. So Clemency is somewhat prepared --- and not completely shocked --- to find herself one day face to face with a real live fairy! Unfortunately, this particular fairy is not a nice one. The mean little thing attacks Clemency with a stinging wand, forcing her over a cliff! Clemency might have fallen to her death if not for the life-saving roots of a nearby tree. But despite this close call, she is still in danger as the cruel fairy dives in for another attack.

Drawing on her knowledge of the world of fairies, Clemency remembers that all she has to do in order to defeat the fairy is to denounce her belief. For good measure, she denounces the fairy seven times, and the spiteful thing finally falls over dead. Immensely relieved, Clemency carefully climbs up the roots of the tree to safety and continues on her way. That is, until she is confronted by an unusual creature called a hobgoblin. This rude and quirky fellow informs her that she not only killed the fairy who had been stinging her, but also six other fairies, one for each of her announcements of disbelief. Clemency feels just awful --- so awful in fact that she decides to do something about it. With the reluctant assistance of the hobgoblin, Clemency sets out to fix her mistakes.

Author J. T. Petty tells a wonderful tale with clever dialogue, suspenseful adventure, and humorous characters. Readers will admire the intelligent and spirited heroine, and laugh at her unlikely companion, while enjoying the enlivening drawings of the talented illustrator, Will Davis. Some readers may need to keep a dictionary handy due to a few challenging words, but all will love this tale of the fairies, wanting to read it over and over --- and even save it for their own children.

   --- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman, author

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