The False Queen is a magical tale that follows a young fairy girl named Viola who arrives on Swing Island wearing a lace dress and a crown. The Islanders become curious with the stranger and decide she must be royalty due to her appearance. In doing so, there assumptions create this version of Viola that is not true. Viola, who turns out to be just a fairy down on her luck searching for a place of her own and her purpose; sees no harm in going along with the Islanders grand idea of her since they are all being so kind to her.

Having extraordinarily little to give back to the Islanders, she does her best to use her skills of designing clothes and jewelry to try and make money to eventually repay the debts. Once Viola’s secret is out that she is no royal fairy, everyone turns on her. Daniel, who is the hero of the story is described as a loner and a writer but most importantly he is the observer of the Island and sees not only the truth of who Viola is but all the Islanders true selves. Daniel’s skills of writing set him on a path of clearing Viola’s name and aiding in her finally finding her place and purpose in life as well as uniting the community in one swift sweep of his quill.

In this short children’s chapter book, the author is able to incapsulate the accurate depiction of how people are quick to make assumptions about another person. Pere also shows how important it is to have friends that will stand by you through challenging times in life and how using your skills can help bring communities together and bring fulfillment in life.

The False Queen is an imaginative children’s book with unique fairy tale elements that young readers will find enchanting. This is a fantastic children’s book that imparts an important life lesson amid an entertaining adventure.

Pages: 110 | ISBN: 9789523577695