Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner (Children's, 7 years +, 10/10)

4th October 2012, Orion
192 pages, Paperback

Review copy

Themes: evil adopted parents, a child servant, evil enemy who can turn people into things, a magical shop, lots of bunnies, moments of hope and happiness, escape, trains, keys with feet, the truth about fairies, lots of humour and drama, a few aww moments

Summary from Orion

Emily Vole makes headline news in the first weeks of her life, when she is found in an abandoned hatbox in Stansted Airport. 

Then, only a few years later, her neighbour Mrs String dies leaving Emily a mysterious inheritance: an old shop, a small bunch of golden keys and a cat called Fidget. It's the beginning of an adventure of a lifetime as the old Fairy Detective Agency comes back to life.
 

It is up to Emily to reopen the shop, and recall the fairies to duty. Together they must embark on their first mystery and do battle with their great fairy-snatching enemy, Harpella.

Nayuleska's thoughts

I love tales of a child who is worked hard by their parents/guardian, manages to escape the slavery and in the end gets the life they deserve. Emily never complains. She gets on with things and was a little more amazed than I was when people helped her out. She knows she is in a bad situation so does all she can to escape. Life has a funny knack in providing opportunities when we need them. Emily gets to leave home - but the person she faces is more formiddable than her so-called parents.

There is a lot of magic in this story - and bunnies. Fidget made a superb guardian for Emily. It made a change to have the police and other professionals on Emily's side - often those types of characters are as mean as the evil parents.

Emily's unusual upbringing trained her for the events in the book. She learns life isn't fair, but it usually ends up ok or more than ok in the end. The drawings aren't quite my favourite style but they fit the feel of this 10/10 read.

You can find out more on Sally's website.

Suggested read

For a similarly mysterious tale try Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles by Rupert Kingfisher