; ;

Cici- A Fairy’s Tale #1 : Believe Your Eyes

This graphic novel for young readers introduces a new series dealing with how fairies come to learn of their own existence. BUT on a deeper heavier topic, it lets children know about how hard it is when parents split up.

Page one shows Cici and her father crying in front of his packed boxes and suitcases as he moves out. This happens just days before Cici’s tenth birthday. Hazel is having a hot tub party of Cici’s birthday which quite a few students want to attend, even Cici’s good friend. Since Cici’s father won’t be home for her birthday, Cici decides  to go to Hazel’s party. Meanwhile, Cici’s Abuelita comes to live with her, her mother and little sister.

The morning of Cici’s birthday, suddenly she has fairy wings. SURPRISE! So does Abuelita! Abuelita revels, ” In our familia , there have always been fairies. First, your wings grow in. Then, little by little you discover your powers.”(21) Cici’s first fairy power is the power of fairy sight. She sees people for who or what they truly are. Her mother has as many arms as an octopus, which are always busy. The girls at Hazel’s party are all chickens. Distraught by what she is experiencing at the party, Cici finally tells her friend about her father’s moving out. Her friend is not sympathetic and stays at the party, becoming another chicken.

The next morning, Cici must choose to believe in fairies or loose her fairy sight forever. Abuelita tells Cici, ” Your wings are a symbol of your powers. You must be careful who you share them with. Once you decide, you will be able to control when your wings are seen. If you give them up, however, you also give up the power to believe. You will never see wings on yourself or anyone else ever again.” (45)  Cici states, “I choose to believe.” (47)