A Perfect View

In this third installment in the series about a Latina girl who discovers she is a fairy, 10-year-old Cici is still learning about her powers, including fairy sight, which allows her to see her mother as part octopus, her father as part bear, and her dog as part dragon. Her abuela, or grandmother, tells Cici that this ability will help her through life, from coping with her parents' divorce to making new pals. Cici is excited as she sets out on a camping trip with her father, her little sister, her friend Kendra, and her dog, but her grandmother cautions her that nature is a powerful force with magic all its own and emphasizes the importance of having the right attitude. However, Cici has difficulty remembering her grandmother's advice, and things go increasingly wrong, partly thanks to a forest sprite. Though the girl reaches her breaking point, she soon realizes that things aren't so bad, and readers will appreciate her resilient spirit. While this work is set in the world of magic and fantasy, Cici and the problems she encounters are relatable. The artwork is cartoonish and resplendent with color, and Spanish words appear throughout the text. VERDICT: Fans of the earlier books will be excited about Cici's latest escapade.--School Library Journal

In this third installment in the Cici: A Fairy's Tale series, Cici goes camping with her dad, sister, and best friend, Kendra. Cici is eager to show Kendra everything she loves about her annual camping trip, like eating s'mores, a camping by the lake, and swimming. But this is Cici's first camping since learning she's really a fairy, and in addition to more banal surprises, like bad weather, a magical creature eager to be her friend ruins many of her meticulous plans, and she has a hard time taking things in stride. Once she starts being open to new experiences, though, she realizes that surprises can be truly wonderful. Doerrfeld and Page's colorful cartoon illustrations are lively with fantastic creatures, woodsy settings, and shimmery magic, and Cici's fairy sight, which reveals the true nature of her family members, is a fun visual trick--her father, for instance, is a bear, while her mother has tentacles. With a cozy, meaningful message and a charming Latina protagonist, this easy-reading volume is a great pick for elementary-schoolers eager for fantasy comics.--Booklist