Cici: A Fairy’s Tale Series (Cori Doerrfeld & Tyler Page)

Cici: A Fairy’s Tale is an entertaining graphic novel series for early readers written by Cori Doerrfeld and Tyler Page.  The series is realistic fiction with a dash of magic and imagination. 

The series features a multi-faceted Latino protagonist and family. The young protagonist deals with many typical experiences like friendship struggles, family issues, and fitting in. The plots and characters are relatable for elementary children.  The graphic novel style and vocabulary are accessible, even for reluctant readers.

There are currently three books in the series. 

#1 Believe Your Eyes

Cici’s father moves out of their home and her abuela moves in as her tenth birthday approaches.  Her plans are turned upside-down when a popular classmate schedules a party on the same night as her birthday celebration.  If all that wasn’t challenge enough, Cici wakes up on the day of the party with fairy wings and the ability to see people in a new way! Fortunately, her abuela is there to help her figure out this magical change.  With her new abilities, Cici finds that navigating friendships and family is harder than she expected.

#2 Truth in Sight

Cici is learning to deal with her family’s new living situation—the weekdays with mom and weekends with dad.  Her younger sister is fussy, and her parents are frazzled.  Her classmate Kendra seems to have it all together—pretty, popular, and rich!  Cici acts out toward her “perfect” classmate, thinking it is all a joke. However, her actions have larger consequences than she anticipated.

#3 A Perfect View
Cici invites her new friend, Kendra, to go on her family’s annual camping trip.  Cici has everything planned for the “perfect” trip.  Cici struggles with a bad attitude when plans change—from bad weather and a campsite mix-up.  Her new magic powers have some unexpected results while in the woods as well.