When Tom moves next door, Meg is excited to have a new neighbour. But she soon realises that Tom is different to the other kids she knows. He doesn’t talk in recognisable words and she sees him doing the same things over and over again. Meg decides that Tom must be a fairy and that the world he sees is the fairy world. Meg’s mum explains that Tom isn’t a fairy, but has autism. So although Tom likes to do the same things as other children his age, he sees the world in a special way. Meg decides that as she likes to see things her own way too, Tom and her can be friends.
My Neighbour is a Fairy is a gentle and fun story which shows children that seeing the world in a different way can provide a rich experience for everyone. It also encourages children to not exclude others who see the world in ‘different ways’ in their play. Children and adults of all ages will enjoy the beautiful, modern illustrations by Margaret Krajnc, which contrasts the different views of the world from the everyday adult view to the ‘magical’ view of children.
