#419 of 1001 · September 23, 2021

Elsie Times Eight, an original tale written and illustrated by Natalie Babbitt, blends fantasy and farce in equal measure. The giddy machinations of her hard-of-hearing fairy godmother cause young Elsie to be multiplied into eight identical versions of herself, much to her Mama and Papa’s consternation. The anarchic behavior of the magically generated octuplets begins to arouse the ire of neighbors and others in the community. At last, the frazzled parents seek out the fairy godmother, who reveals that banishing the duplicate Elsies will require that somebody identify the original—and a surprising member of the household rises to the challenge. Babbitt accompanies her madcap plotline with lighthearted illustrations that foreground the comedy and sheer absurdity of the situation. #fairy #godmother #fairygodmother #magic #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks