The Islands of Elsewhere

April 15, 2023
Granddaddy lives alone, and he is ill: Will his grandchildren be able figure out the best way to help him before he gets worse? The Snolly sisters--Hattie, 12; Bee, 10; and Plum, 8--along with their mom and baby brother, Theodore, are visiting their sick grandfather in Misty Cove, a wild and mysterious place many hours' drive and a ferry ride away from their Vancouver, British Columbia, home. When they get there, they learn that their grandfather owns the Fairy Islands, which include the three islands called Fairy, Little Fairy, and Ghost. Legend has it that there is something spooky about them, and the children's family is closely tied to some of the stories, specifically Granddaddy's own grandmother Lucy Juniper. Each sibling uses their personal strengths to help figure out the best way to help their grandfather, who has been forgetting things and often seems confused. Aspiring botanist Bee collects algae, Hattie and Plum are enthralled by magic and fairies, while Dore can imitate sounds, from cats (his favorite) to seals. In addition to the strong characterization and magical setting, the story weaves in realistic topics that many children will recognize from their own lives, including bullying, aging grandparents, and divorced parents, all the while validating their feelings. Primary characters read White. A charming family story with a touch of fairy-tale atmosphere. (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 24, 2023
Arriving from Vancouver to the tiny town of Misty Cove with their mother and baby brother Theodore, a trio of sisters become immediately enchanted with their ailing grandfather’s bluff-situated property, which overlooks the sea and includes the Fairy Islands: Fairy, Little Fairy, and Ghost. Cast by locals as a magical liminal place, the islands figure prominently in legends about the sisters’ great-great-grandmother Lucy Juniper, a pirate—and possibly a witch—who may have left behind buried treasure. Though scornful of whimsies and unwilling to believe that the girls may be the recipients of familial magic, pragmatic 10-year-old Bee enlists Hattie, 12, and Plum, eight, on a quest to locate the loot, imagining that finding it would allow the family to assist their beloved, increasingly forgetful granddaddy. Via a cozy, magic-dusted family story that features a bewitching setting (the remote village seems to “blend into the wilderness at the edges”), Fawcett (The School Between Winter and Fairyland) creates endearing and affectionate characters with realistic tensions—especially between scientifically minded Bee and her more imaginative family members—whose individual strengths help solve the central mystery. Protagonists default to white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Brianne Johnson, HG Literary.

May 1, 2023
Grades 3-6 Fawcett weaves a fantastical tale that follows the three Snolly sisters--Hattie, Plum, and Bee--as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime during a seaside summer at their grandfather's house in Misty Cove. A magical feeling permeates the air around Granddaddy's home, which is a stark contrast to the sadness the girls feel about his deteriorating physical state. With all the local talk of magic, faeries, and "in-between" worlds--referring to the three ""Fairy Islands"" neighboring Misty Cove--10-year-old Bee decides to seek a solution for the grandfather they all love, setting events into motion that cause the sisters to get more enmeshed with the secrets of the Fairy Islands, in the process exposing buried treasure and stolen history that could rock the quaint seaside town. Fawcett's poignant story about imaginary worlds and very real problems, with its tongue-in-cheek nostalgic narration, is perfect for fans of Catherynne M. Valente and magical mysteries.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2023
The three Snolly sisters, their infant brother, and their mother are spending the summer at the coastal home of their grandfather, whose dementia is worsening. Artistic sister Hattie, science-y Bee, and costume-loving Plum explore the unusual community of Misty Cove, learn about a great-great-grandmother who was a Robin Hood-esque pirate during the Great Depression, and launch a plan to discover hidden pirate treasure. Their quest for the treasure takes them to the Fairy Islands, a group of tidal islands nearby, which -- much to rational Bee's chagrin -- seem to have a touch of magic about them. Watching the sisters move from bickering to cooperation and back is a delight, and Fawcett (The Grace of Wild Things, rev. 5/23) has a knack for making even marine-life characters essential to the story, allowing the offbeat town to develop beyond its considerable quirkiness. Though the focus remains on the core adventure and the bonds of sisterhood, deeper topics (such as family feuds, housing inequality, and First Nations displacement) are naturally incorporated into the story line. Sarah Rettger

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

September 15, 2023

Gr 3-7-The Snolly sisters-Hattie (12), Bee (10), and Plum (8), their mom, baby brother, Theodore (Dore) and their one-eyed cat, Mab, are visiting Grandaddy for the summer in Misty Cove, where his house sits on the edge of a low bluff overlooking the sea. The girls want to explore the nearby mysterious Fairy Islands, which are shrouded in ghostly and fairy stories. Their mother, however, is concerned about Grandaddy's health, and his memory issues. The girls learn Granddaddy's own grandmother, Lucy Juniper, is the root of these tales of fairies, buried treasure, and pirates. Rainstorm, the waitress at the Octopus, Octopus, Octopus cafe (serving all things octopus including milkshakes) says the Fairy Islands are the source of magic, as they are caught between land and sea. The girls concoct a plan to find the treasure, so they can all move to Misty Cove and help care for their grandfather. Each sister has a unique strength; botany-loving Bee has her treasured green backpack, "Misdirection," which contains everything useful; Hattie is adept at making sand sculptures and hopes to win money in a contest; costume-wearing Plum is sure she is seeing ghosts and fairies; and Dore can make animal sounds from cats to seals. Relatable issues are presented honestly, including sibling issues, divorced parents co-parenting, and aging grandparents. VERDICT With well-developed characters, this will have readers rooting for a solution to Granddaddy's problems, while savoring the slightly spooky, heart-thumping fairy tale.-Michele Shaw

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2023
The three Snolly sisters, their infant brother, and their mother are spending the summer at the coastal home of their grandfather, whose dementia is worsening. Artistic sister Hattie, science-y Bee, and costume-loving Plum explore the unusual community of Misty Cove, learn about a great-great-grandmother who was a Robin Hood-esque pirate during the Great Depression, and launch a plan to discover hidden pirate treasure. Their quest for the treasure takes them to the Fairy Islands, a group of tidal islands nearby, which -- much to rational Bee's chagrin -- seem to have a touch of magic about them. Watching the sisters move from bickering to cooperation and back is a delight, and Fawcett (The Grace of Wild Things, rev. 5/23) has a knack for making even marine-life characters essential to the story, allowing the offbeat town to develop beyond its considerable quirkiness. Though the focus remains on the core adventure and the bonds of sisterhood, deeper topics (such as family feuds, housing inequality, and First Nations displacement) are naturally incorporated into the story line.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)