Aziza’s Secret Fairy Door and the Birthday Present Disaster

Lola Morayo's Aziza's Secret Fairy Door and the Birthday Present Disaster is a sparkly fairy mystery for 6 year olds about a girl trying to make two birthday parties perfect at once.

What happens

Aziza is planning a surprise party for her big brother Otis. It's got a superhero theme and it has to be special. But the invitations aren't finished, there's no menu and she hasn't picked any music. Dad offers to help (he used to be a DJ!) and Aziza insists she can do it all herself.

Then the little wooden fairy door on her windowsill starts to sparkle. A ribbon ties itself round it in a messy bow. That can only mean one thing. It's time to go back to Shimmerton!

Aziza shrinks down, steps through and lands in a palace ballroom in a party dress covered in silver hearts. It's her friend Peri's birthday. Tiko, her little shapeshifting friend, is the official party planner, and he's clutching a clipboard.

Here's the twist. In Shimmerton, the birthday girl gives presents to all her guests. And Peri's presents have gone missing!

So Aziza goes hunting. Through golden hallways and a throne room, out to a glasshouse full of rainbows, into an enchanted maze where the way out keeps moving and down to the royal vaults. There's a golden carriage down there that Cinderella would love.

There are some brilliant characters to meet on the way. A spider boy with eight hairy legs who loves mazes. A sphinx housekeeper. A girl with rainbow braids who looks sadder and more faded every time Aziza sees her. And the Gigglers, who are no help at all.

Tiko is a real highlight. Whenever he panics he shapeshifts, and it's never quite into what he meant. One minute he's a giant tortoise answering questions ... very ... slowly, and the next he's a huge green serpent.

Under all the sparkle there's a gentle message that young readers will get straight away. Peri, Tiko and Aziza are all trying to do everything perfectly on their own. Aziza's dad has a saying for that. The smartest people ask for help.

Aziza has been to Shimmerton before, but the story fills in who everyone is as it goes. It's bright and busy and full of kindness, which makes it a good one to read aloud or to share.

What to read next

If they love Aziza, go back to the first Secret Fairy Door story. A mysterious box arrives on Aziza's birthday with no stamp and no note, just her name, and inside is the little door.