"You should know that every flower or clump of flowers has a fairy to look after it. This is a fact."
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The Green Imp by Mark Kumara Trafford Publishing
book review by Cynthia Collins
This collection of twenty-two short stories is for children in the middle grade levels. The author wrote these as bedtime stories, but they are appropriate to read at any time. The title of the book comes from one of the story titles.
Many of the stories are told by the child who is the main character. This way, the story is on the reader's, or child's, level as an equal. When Timmy finds a magic lamp, he has to figure out how to outsmart the genie. Leila doesn't like her piano teacher and doesn't waste any time describing her in an unflattering way. Some stories, such as "The Green Imp," are told through the voice of the narrator and deal with woods filled with fairies, elves, and imps. "Brownie's Egg" is about a child who is different from the other children in her school but gains acceptance when she brings unusual looking eggs laid by a special chicken. There are also stories about pirates, science fiction, and eating popcorn at the movies.
The artwork is not up to the level of the writing but that is a minor point considering these stories are for anyone, from 8 to 12 and higher, who enjoys a childlike sense of wonder and imagination. The author says it best when he is talking about seeing fairies. "Many children, before they become grownups and forget all about being a child, can see them."
RECOMMENDED by the US Review