Basil the Bear Cub (Superfairies) Paperback – December 31, 2015

Firstly, we are introduced to the Superfairies of Peaseblossom Woods. Each uses her special magical or ‘super’ skills, as well as teamwork to rescue animals in distress. This is a book about love. The just-turned Miss Eight, who recommended it to me, loved this book, as she loves anything about loving deeds, which “Basil The Bear Cub”, sure was.It’s springtime. The Superfairies are cleaning their home inside the cherry blossom tree, when an alarm is sounded in the woods that one of their animal friends needs help. Basil, the bear cub, went to play at the riverside on his own though he had been told not to by his mother. The Superfairies Rose, Silk, Berry and Star rush to the rescue.Berry has ‘super’ sight to be able to see far into the distance, Silk spins webs that can become ladders (imaginative!), Rose sends kisses to heal, and Star creates brightness to lighten dark spaces.The SuperFairies are all about love and team work. They care for the animals of the forest. There is no protagonist. There are no bad guys. Instead, there is so much kindness, which is a rare read for the young. The imaginative bursts add interest to the young reader, e.g. the Superfairies fly in a fairycopter on their rescue missions and they have a Strawberry computer.Jennie Poh’s illustrations are wonderful and the cover attracted me to the book. At the end of the book there is a section, ‘All About Fairies’ and a quiz to tell the reader which SuperFairy they’re most like.Only a small quibble is that the start is slow with the Superfairies going about their chores. However, towards, the action mounts up when disaster after disaster befalls Basil, until the Superfairies rescue him. Of course they do!