Come to the Fairies' Ball    by Jane Yolen & Gary Lippincott Order:  USA  Can Boyds Mills Press, 2009 (2009)     Reviewed by Deb Kincaid Jane Yolen has written countless endearing children's books, and Come to the Fairies' Ball is another one children will want read over and over again. Mostly paralleling the story of Cinderella, this too is a story of a ball to which everyone in the kingdom is invited. Only this is a fairy ball in a fairy kingdom. One poor fairy's only frock is torn. She has nothing to wear and so has no hope of attending. Unlike Cinderella, however, this little fairy resolves the problem herself with ingenuity and diligent effort. In the end, she meets the fairy prince of her dreams. Yolen's text is entirely in lovely rhyme that does not appear forced. She introduces some intriguing words for a child's vocabulary, and perhaps even an adult's. (Do you know the meaning of swivet and gavotted?) The author's use of assonance and alliteration will please little ones who are naturally drawn to repetition and musicality. Illustrator Gary Lippincott creates a busy landscape of every sort of fairy imaginable along with interesting homes in which they reside. The detailed pictures are rendered in pastel colors. They are amazing. And, although the fairies look a little gruesome to me, they are all kindly, full of smiles and joy. Children will adore the book. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews