Freddie and the fairy
Summary:
Freddie helps a fairy Bessie-Belle who was stuck in a tree and she grants him wishes in return. However, the fairy can’t hear well and there are some misunderstandings between Freddie and Bessie-Belle. Thankfully, a Fairy Godmother helps them to understand each other in future.
Edited by: Dublin City University
Comment:
The book is unusual in that it contains a fairy who appears to be a male character, instead of the more typical meeting of fairy and female character often found in books aimed specifically at girls. The book also includes consideration of disability through Bessie-Belle’s hearing impairment. The book is not heavy-handed in its approach to this issue and the fairy’s hearing difficulty is drawn attention to in a light-hearted way through the misunderstandings and also gestured toward in the blue smudge suggesting a hearing aid sometimes visible behind the fairy’s ear.