Jack the Fairy: The Week the Bad Fairies Escaped

By Author / Illustrator

Tom McLaughlin

Genre

Magical Realism

Age range(s)

Publisher

Oxford Children's

ISBN

9780192787200

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

04-09-2025

Synopsis

Jack isn't exactly the most perfect member of the magical world. He might even have broken one or two rules . . . like taking his wand to school, and letting his best friend, Charlie, know that he's a fairy. Oh, and he did accidentally magic Charlie through an interdimensional portal to a sinister island prison for magical lawbreakers.

Now he has to let his Mum and Uncle Dave know what he's done, and they have to rescue Charlie! Things take an unexpected turn when they arrive on Lonely Island. The bad fairies don't seem so bad at all - in fact, Jack thinks they are pretty cool. But one treacherous prison break later, Jack and Charlie realize they have been tricked. Can they work together to save the magical world, and will Charlie ever be accepted as an honorary fairy?

Also in the Jack the Fairy series: The Day the Unicorns Stopped Farting (book 1); The Night Bigfoot Stole my Pants (book 2)

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Reviews

Amanda

Tom McLaughlin’s immense skill as a children’s author is clearly on show again throughout this third book in the Jack the Fairy series - The Week the Bad Fairies Escaped.

Jack is not your typical fairy, he is a boy for a start! The clear monochrome illustrations depict Jack as a child in normal clothes but with wings. Children quickly identify with Jack and start wondering what it would be like to fly! The humour throughout this story will have readers of all ages hooked from the very beginning.

This book will be a fantastic addition to any book corner or reading for pleasure collection. I would also use it as a small group study text, allowing for discussions around character development and plot prediction. Tom has carefully considered his target audience when writing to create the perfect chapter length to keep children interested and a wonderful range of vocabulary.

I am hoping that there is more to come in this series as Jack the Fairy is such a brilliant series.

192 pages / Reviewed by Amanda Shipton, teacher