The Secret Destiny of Pixie Piper

Gr 3–6—Fisher's debut novel combines humor, magic, and the ups and downs of adolescent friendship in this clever tale of a modern-day descendant of Mother Goose. Fifth grader Pixie Piper feels like a fish out of water in her small town. Embarrassed by her quirky parents and their quirky home, an acorn-shaped caretaker's cottage on the grounds of an estate, Pixie just wants to fit in with the popular girls at school. After a run-in with a strange fortune-teller dressed in odd garb, Pixie's mother tells her that she is a descendant of Mother Goose, an inheritance that may or may not come with special powers. Pixie, always adept at creating rhymes, hides her penchant for poetry, as it makes her feel "like a weirdo." Equally wary of and intrigued by her mother's reveal, Pixie tries to go on with her life as usual. But after another encounter with the old fortune-teller and a fortuitous discovery of a goose egg abandoned in the woods, Pixie decides to face her destiny head-on. Readers will warm to Pixie and her familiar struggle to feel normal despite her beloved but eccentric parents. Her anxiety about friendships and her occasional bullying by classmates are as much a part of the story as her budding magical powers. Though the balance of these two themes feels a little bit uneven at times, the unique approach will please fans of both realistic fiction and fantasy.