National Network for Equitable Library Service

Author Lisa Niden's spirited, precocious daughter Emma wrote letters to the tooth fairy every night for over a year. Whether she had lost a tooth or not, she poured out requests, demands, endless inquiries and moments of startling wisdom. Struck by Emma's sophisticated thought process, Lisa strung together some of the letters to form Notes to the Fairy. Rejecting the notion that children are merely hoping for a few quarters from the tooth fairy, Notes to the Fairy confirms what every parent already knows: Our precious youngsters are more like impatient small grown-ups who always want something, whether it's wands, crowns, hammers, eggs or answers to some of life's nagging questions, such as: "Can you please give me a magic crown so when I wear it I can be older and skip childhood?" "P.S. Who invented no?" "Why all the teeth? What do you do — build things?" "If I eat a blade of grass, will I be summer inside?"   Notes to the Fairy is a fresh take on an old tale. Although written by a child, its quirky charm can be truly appreciated only by adults, and Laurie Zallen's simple stylized illustrations bring Emma's letters to life.