The Rainbow Magic series is divided into sets of themed fairies - the weather fairies, the sports fairies, the jewel fairies, etc. This title is from the pet fairies series. Each follows a similar theme - the naughty ice goblins make trouble and a group of mortal girls get to help the fairies put things right.

In this case, the ice goblins have stolen the magical pets. The story in the third volume starts out with Kristy and Rachel visiting Strawberry Farm and thinking about the magical pets they've already helped rescue. When a guinea pig escapes from the Pet Corner, they are chasing him when he....flies? It's one of the magical pets! Georgia the guinea pig fairy appears and together the three of them try to get Sparky back. It's not so easy when the ice goblins appear though! Can they outwit the mean goblins?

As you can see from the cover, this series does include a wide variety of skin colors in the fairies. The interior art is simple black and white drawings, with no skin color for any of the characters so it's not possible to tell if the girls are diverse, although they have what appears to be blond and black hair, respectively. The art is very cute and has a distinct British feel, with its blend of cozy and sparkly.

Has any adult actually read these? Well, one has now. Rainbow Magic is one of those paperback series that are pumped out for beginning readers. Most people just assume they're trite and light reading, suitable for kids who need the continuity of a familiar series to improve their reading abilities. Well, they're pretty much...right on the nose for that one. That doesn't mean it's a bad book though - it does exactly what it sets out to do. I have both boys and girls who enjoy reading these; the simple plots, engaging characters (fairies! goblins! girls helping fairies!) and cute artwork make these an easy series to encourage kids to jump into reading.

Verdict: You must have at least a couple of these series in your library, if not all of them (I'm not sure anyone could keep up with all of them). I recommend the classic weather, jewel, and pet fairies to start with.

ISBN: 9780545133227; Published 2006 by Scholastic; From my personal collection; Owned by the library

I really enjoyed this book for several reasons. This story is part of a modern fantasy series that involves fairies, magical animals, and two young girls willing to help the fairies. The language is very descriptive and incorporates many sensory details. For example, the character Kirsty exclaims, “Rachel, look! She cried excitedly, scrambling back down to the ground.” The reader can picture this action in their head due to the vivid details. Another example of descriptive language is when the book states, “Rachel fluttered her shimmering wings, feeling light as she floated off the ground.” The writing is arranged into paragraphs and chapters. Print that is larger than typical chapter books are used, which makes this a great transitional book for emerging readers. I also really enjoyed the use of dialogue incorporated in the story because it makes the events seem more real. The illustrations are colorless sketches that are extremely detailed. There is an illustration on each page to break up the wording. The characters Rachel, Kirsty, and Georgia the fairy are well developed because they work together to save the animals and each other. Rachel and Kirsty must return the magical pets to their pet fairy owners because Jack Frost kidnapped the pets. There is a great deal of suspense in the plot, especially when Kirsty had to capture one of Jack Frost’s goblins that stole the guinea pig. The book reads, “The girls held their breath as the lasso sailed through the air,” which evokes feelings of suspense. Fortunately, the retrieved the guinea pig and returned it home safely. The events are fictional but the message is relatable. The big ideas of the story are good triumphs evil and working together to help others will save the day. ( )

I had a dog named Sparky, In Georgia the guinea pig fairy the guinea pig's name is Sparky. And whenever I think of the guinea pig in the story I see a big guinea pig as big as my dog! ( )