Bleakwatch Chronicles

October 1, 2024

Gr 5-7-A new story in the "Disney Fairies" universe that celebrates diversity and the spirit of curiosity. The beloved Tinker Bell, a white and fair-haired fairy, is on a new adventure. When a fairy from an unknown land washes up on the shores of Never Land, Tink is immediately drawn into the mystery. With her talents and signature curiosity, she follows the clues to the Mainland and is launched into the steampunk world of Bleakwatch, a fairy society unlike anything Tink has ever known. With a ragtag and diverse group of scavengers called the Flutterpunks, Tink seeks to uncover the secrets of this unknown fairy society, and the mystery may be deeper than anyone could imagine. This initial book in the new "Bleakwatch Chronicles" series celebrates the character and charm of Tinker Bell while breathing new life into her adventures. The Flutterpunks capture a diversity of fairies unlike the traditional stories of Never Land. The city of Bleakwatch is a parallel of London, the human city it lives beneath. Through the commentary of Bleakwatch, young readers will be introduced to the troubles of classism, privilege, and wealth disparity. The dual perspectives of Tink and nonbinary fairy Quin convey the importance of equality and equity in every society, even a fairy one. VERDICT A must for fans of Tinker Bell and for libraries seeking classic fantasies with refreshingly modern twists.-Ashton Conley

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2024
New fairy adventures await underground in London. One day, as Tinker Bell combs the Never Land beach for neat "lost things" from the human-populated Mainland, she makes an amazing discovery--a mechanical, fairy-size flying vehicle that runs on pixie dust--and its fairy pilot is still inside! Though she's been hurt in the accident and can't speak, Elmira communicates by writing and drawing. She's from the Mainland (where fairies rarely live), and she's lost something precious. Never one to pass up an adventure, Tink repairs the ship and flies to London to investigate. There she meets the Flutterpunks, a crew of scavenger fairies, and barters some of her stash of pixie dust for their help with her search. Tinker Bell's eyes are opened to this secret population of fairies who have adapted to survive near humans by using "shadow-talents" and "dream-talents." But there's trouble brewing for their community of Bleakwatch. Fans of the Disney Fairies franchise will appreciate this steampunk-flavored series opener with new content that extends the universe. This novel fits right into the canon and yet offers its own original narrative that fills a niche for audiences who have moved on from the books for younger readers. The new Flutterpunks characters are interesting and gruffly endearing; they're described as diverse in skin tone, and their leader, Quin, usesthey/them pronouns. Tinker Bell presents white. A pleasurable offering for readers eager for more Disney fairy content. (map, cast of characters)(Fantasy. 8-13)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.