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Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures

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By DeeDee

Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures
By Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic Press, 2015. Fiction. 184 p.
Pip Bartlett loves learning about magical creatures so she is not too disappointed when her mother arranges for her to spend the summer with her aunt, who is a magical creatures veterinarian.  Pip has a secret; she can talk with animals and she soon becomes a valuable asset at the veterinarian clinic.  Her skills become invaluable when her town is overrun by Fuzzles, little creatures that burst into flame when they are nervous.  Pip, her aunt, and her new friend, Thomas, must race against time to keep the cute little Fuzzles from either burning down the town or being exterminated.

This is a fanciful and lighthearted little book that would be appropriate for a fairly young child who is an advanced reader. Pearce and Stiefvater manage to make the story exciting without being scary. Pip is a likable, spunky little girl, and Tomas's funny quirks add a lot of humor. Give this book to readers who have been enjoying  "The Rescue Princesses" or the "Animal Magic" series and are ready to move up to a slightly longer offering. The book is available from the library in print, ebook and audio CD formats.
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