How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalester

Charlie is a fourteen year-old girl living in New Avalon, a city in a world where everyone has a fairy that gives them good luck in certain areas, whether it be making the perfect serve every time, always having nice hair, or possessing a knack for finding loose change. These fairies are very helpful, make life easy, and can even bring fame. But for Charlie, having a fairy is a nightmare. Her is a parking fairy which always allows her find a good parking spot. Charlie’s gift has become a horrible nuisance as people always drag her along with them when driving anywhere. She begins going out of her way to get rid of her fairy. As things get worse and it seems like she will never be free of her fairy, Charlie teams up with a girl she despises, Fiorenze, who also dislikes her gift, in hopes of getting rid of their fairies. They both find a way to get what they desired only to realize that their new gifts might be even worse than before. In the end, they have to take some extreme actions to fix things.

This book was an enjoyable read, and I think it would appeal to most younger girl readers at Highland, especially those who enjoy more girly fantasy stories. I found this book a bit confusing as it was set in a different world with a whole new vocabulary. I also felt like I wasn’t able to relate to the characters. The plot was very simple and the lack of major conflicts bothered me. I also felt as if I had read similar books and thought this one didn’t stand out. I would give it two out of five stars. Though I wasn’t very impressed by this novel, it was a fun, lighthearted book that I think most readers will enjoy.

Review by KM

Works Cited
"How to Ditch Your Fairy Cover." Online image. LibraryThing. 27 Nov. 2008 http://www.librarything.com/work/5267367/.