Lone Star Book Blog Tour: The Mischief Series by Amanda M. Thrasher (review of book 2 & giveaway)

“The more the merrier was always the fairy way!”

A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch by Amanda M. Thrasher is book 2 in the Mischief Series, and it’s an absolute delight for second-grade to fourth-grade readers, but don’t let that deter you if you are a more mature reader or if you love to read aloud to your own little ones in your life. This sweet story in this series is perfect for readers of all ages and can stand alone, but be warned: Once you read one story, you will want to read them all!

The mushroom patch is a colony of fairies, both elders and  fairlings (young fairies), who live and work and play and learn together. This cute story (book 2) is mainly about the daily lives of several of the fairlings, including Lilly, Boris, Jack, Ivy, Rosie, and Pearle. They attend classes that will help them contribute to the overall health and well-being of the mushroom patch when they are older. But what child doesn’t love to play? In this story, the fairlings like to play Kick-a-Berry, akin to soccer, but an early start to the rainy season puts a damper on the rematch against Jack’s team and the opposing team. The pitch for the rematch is flooded, so the game is suspended, but that isn’t the only problem plaguing the mushroom patch.

A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch is a great narrative for all readers because it emphasizes the principles of a happy and productive life that we should all follow, such as sharing, teamwork, empathy/sympathy, and thoughtfulness for each other’s feelings. The mushroom patch is a charming and idyllic microcosm of these positive behaviors that are sometimes lacking in the real world. An interesting dynamic is that the fairlings live in dormitories, and the elders are in charge of everything, from teaching to mushroom patch maintenance and engineering, so familial relationships in this colony are unclear. What is clear is the wonderful way all the fairies, both young and old alike, come together to solve their latest dilemma.

An added bonus in A Fairy Match in the Mushroom Patch is inclusion and respect for another’s disabilities. While Pearle is in a wheelchair (or chariot as the little fairies call it), she has plenty of skills and can even participate in Kick-a-Berry in her own unique way. On a different note, some readers might scratch their heads at the old-fashioned gender roles of girls wearing dresses and attending cooking and sewing classes, while boys attend colony shop/colony architectonics and are highly competitive at sports and play. Ivy, however, does break this stereotype by loving to rock climb and play sports with a fierce competitive spirit. While Ivy lacks any natural skills and the inclination to cook and sew, she still tries her best for the good of the colony when disaster strikes, as do all the fairlings in the mushroom patch.

Amanda M. Thrasher’s writing is easy for young readers, with a plot substantial enough to keep all readers engaged and utterly charmed by these little fairies and their adorable mushroom patch. The elements of whimsy and fairy magic are naturally high, and this book, and the entire Mischief Series, will enchant and maybe provide a bit of an escape and diversion from real-world complications and worries, even if only for a little while.