  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 09/15/2016 In this companion to Felix Stands Tall (2015), Fiona volunteers to be best-friend Felix’s Birthday Elf, charged with bringing treats for his school birthday party. Though she knows exactly what he likes (vanilla cupcakes with raspberry icing and lemon sprinkles), she forgets to bring treats to school and claims the cupcakes were stolen by three second-grade boys. Confronted by the trio, her story evolves: the thieves were actually alligators with the same names. Pressed for the truth, she eventually admits her lies and apologizes to the accused, and the class prepares to celebrate with Miss B’s emergency stash of bran bars. Wells’ droll narrative tackles a familiar childhood situation with empathy and understanding. Fiona’s dishonesty stems from embarrassment, not malice, and Felix is more concerned about her feelings than his birthday treat. Watercolor and aquarelle pencil illustrations capture the nuances of this endearing guinea-pig cast, and the thought balloons depicting Fiona’s elaborate fabrications are especially appealing. Fiona’s mama makes a last-minute appearance in a surprising (and sweet) ending to this sure-to-be-popular tale. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
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