In a Blink

In a blink of a fairy eye, Katie, Mia, Lainey, and Gabby are whisked out of their ordinary lives. The four girls are transported to Never Land, home of fairies and mermaids. The four girls want to go home eventually, but first, they want to explore the wonders of Never Land. Queen Clarion has put Tinker Bell and Prilla in charge of watching after the girls, but no one notices when Kate sneaks off in the middle of the night.

When Tinkerbell and Prilla sprinkle fairy dust on the four girls, everyone takes to flying. Everyone except Kate. When Kate sneaks off in the middle of the night, she doesn’t mean to cause trouble. But Vidia has been waiting in the shadows. Vidia promises to teach Kate to fly if Kate will bring Vidia a sock full of fairy dust. Will Vidia lead Kate into trouble? Will Kate, Mia, Lainey, and Gabby make it home?

In a Blink uses high-interest topics—fairy magic, Tinker Bell, and Never Land—to engage young readers. Fans of Disney princesses and Peter Pan will enjoy this fun chapter book aimed at young girls. The first installment of the series doesn’t have a well-developed plot but instead introduces both the humans and fairies. The three girls, Katie, Mia, Lainey, have a solid friendship even though they are completely different. Lainey’s little sister Gabby also plays a major role in the story and highlights the younger girl’s curiosity.

Two fairies, Tink and Prilla, take the girls on an adventure through the fairy kingdom. While the description of the fairy world is enchanting, not all of the fairy magic is explained, which may frustrate more advanced readers. The fairies have some fun, saying, “I’d fly backwards if I could.” Each time a fairy uses a unique saying, the saying is explained, which alleviates any confusion. Fans of Peter Pan will enjoy getting a fresh look at Tink, who has talent at fixing things. However, some readers may be disappointed that Peter Pan doesn’t appear in the story.

Even though the characters and plot are not well-developed, the foray through Never Land is interesting. The story shows how each girl and fairy is uniquely different, and each one has their own talent. The one negative aspect of the story is that Kate receives no consequence for sneaking out at night and stealing fairy dust. Instead, she is quickly forgiven; the queen tells the girls, “You are always welcome in Pixie Hollow.”

In a Blink has ten short chapters. While the short chapters and illustration make the story accessible to readers, younger readers may need help with the vocabulary. Cute black and white illustrations appear every 1-4 pages, which helps bring the fairy magic to life. The illustrations show the character’s emotions; readers will see the girls’ wonder as well as Kate’s frustration at not being able to fly. In a Blink is perfect for younger readers who want to add a sprinkle of fairy dust to their reading.

Sexual Content

• None

Violence

• None

 Drugs and Alcohol

• None

Language

• None

Supernatural

• When a fairy blinks, she accidentally transports human girls to Never Land. The fairy, Prilla, “had an unusual talent, even for a fairy. She could visit children anywhere in the world just by blinking… By visiting children, she helped keep their belief in fairies alive. And fairies thrived through children’s belief.”
• Fairy dust can be used to make anyone fly. When Terrence sprinkles the girls with dust, Tink and Prilla teach them how to fly. When Kate is sprinkled with fairy dust, “at once, she felt a tingle from the tips of her ears to her toes. It felt like warming up next to a fire after a day of playing in the snow.”
• Prilla blinks into the human world. When she returns “to the girls, no more than an instant had passed. Prilla hadn’t even left the room.”
• The fairies have a set of glasses that “tell you how close to the mainland (human world) you are. The farther away you are, the harder it is to see.”
• Never Land can change sizes. “The island had felt Gabby’s belief. It had shrunk itself to help the little girl.”

Spiritual Content

• None