Isadora Moon Saves the Carnival

Harriet Muncaster's Isadora Moon Saves the Carnival is a sparkly, giggly story for 5 year olds about a family who can't stop fixing a funfair with magic.

What happens

Isadora finds a glittery poster under her dad's shoe. It shows a carousel of twinkling lights under a starry sky, and she wants to go more than anything. She even offers to clean her whole bedroom!

Her dad is a vampire who sleeps all day. Her mum is a fairy who waves her wand at the slightest excuse. So a human carnival is a bit of an adventure for all of them. And her cousins Mirabelle and Wilbur are coming too.

Isadora makes everyone promise. No magic!

But the carnival is sad and shabby when they get there. The lights are fizzing out, the rides clank, and the man in the ticket booth says they might have to close for good.

So the family helps. Just a little. Mirabelle's potion makes the roller coaster shiny and new. Wilbur makes the teacups spin far too fast. Mum turns them into giant flowers, which brings the bees (and Dad hides under his cape). Isadora mends the lights herself and turns the carousel horses into unicorns and dragons.

Then Mirabelle goes one step too far in the haunted house, and the pretend monsters come to life!

It's lovely being inside Isadora's head for all this. She's the sensible one, a bit worried and a bit embarrassed by her family, but just as proud as anyone when her magic works. The monsters are more naughty than scary. They mostly want the hot dogs and the candyfloss.

Worth saying that this edition is American, so it's "Mom", "diapers" and "cotton candy" all the way through. There's a vampire cupcake recipe and a which-character-are-you quiz at the end too.

If you've got a little one who loves fairies, bats and a bit of mischief, this is a treat to share at bedtime.

What to read next

If Mirabelle's mischief was their favourite bit, Isadora Moon Gets in Trouble is the one where she comes to stay for a whole week.