To all my lovely family – A.B. For Maddie, with love from Rosi x First published in 2015 by Nosy Crow Ltd The Crow’s Nest, 10a Lant Street London SE1 1QR www.nosycrow.com ISBN 978 0 85763 315 6 (HB) ISBN 978 0 85763 316 3 ((PB) Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd. Text copyright © Anne Booth 2015 Illustrations copyright © Rosalind Beardshaw 2015 The right of Anne Booth to be identified as the author of this work and of Rosalind Beardshaw to be identified as the illustrator of this work has been asserted. All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Nosy Crow Ltd. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Printed in China Papers used by Nosy Crow are made from wood grown in sustainable forests.
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Anne Booth Illustrated by
Rosalind Beardshaw
Betty was a fairy who just never got things right. She was always in a muddle
though she tried with all her might.
And when she went to Fairy School, she did her very best.
But fairy wings are tricky . . . when you’re . . .
putting on . . .
a vest.
Her pirouettes were wobbly, though most enthusiastic, and no one else’s magic wand was tied on with elastic.
“What shall we do with Betty?” her fairy teacher cried.
“She’s such a messy muddle!” and she shook her head and sighed.
One day, Miss Petal clapped her hands. “Now fairies, listen well! Today’s a most important day – it’s time for your first spell.”
“The first thing that a fairy learns is lots and lots of fun. Let’s scatter all the dewdrops so they sparkle in the sun!”
“The other fairies get it right,” said Betty, feeling sad.
“My dewdrops just make puddles as my sprinkling is so bad.”