For a century and then some, Tinker Bell has charmed generations of children – myself included. My daughter is a huge Tinker Bell fan and has wall stickers dancing around her room depicting Tinker Bell in various cute poses wearing a hip length, lime green dress and slippers. From her first appearance in J.M. Barrie’s play and novel Peter Pan, she’s given us a reason to believe.
In the novel, she is described as a very common pixie who mends pots and pans. Her behavior ranges from charming and enchanting to spoiled and irritable. She is described as someone too small to hold onto more than one feeling at a time. She’s got strong feelings for Peter Pan and when Peter brings Wendy to Never, Never Land.
I Believe in Fairies
In one of the most memorable scenes from the stage production, the audience’s children shout out “I believe in fairies!” in order to save Tinker Bell when she is dying – because fairies are sustained by our belief in them. This is scene is fantastically recreated in P.J. Hogan’s 2003 film Peter Pan and we’re reminded of it again in Spielberg’s wonderful rendition Hook.
I do believe in fairies! I do! I do! I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!
Recognized primarily as a mascot of Disney in such animated features as House of Mouse and in various other commercials, light shows, fireworks and throughout Disney World and Disneyland – Tinker Bell is stepping out from her role as Peter Pan’s very young and charming companion. There’s an animated feature film in the works for her called, appropriately enough, Tinker Bell and although the feature has been delayed to 2008 or 2009 – the existence of it has spawned another line of Disney merchandising and products.
Disney Fairies
Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg, written by Gail Carson Levine (of Ella Enchanted fame) launches a new series called Disney Fairies and for those of us who have long held affection for Tinker Bell – it’s a wonderful series for our children. Last month, shortly after my surgery, there was a book fair at my daughter’s school. She picked out two of these Disney Fairies titles and since then, we’ve been picking up more of them including The Trouble with Tink, Vidia and the Fairy Crown, A Masterpiece for Bess and Rani in the Mermaid Lagoon and more.
Reading these together, we’re transported to Pixie Hollow in Never Land where Tinker Bell and the other fairies and sparrow men live. As a pots-and-pans talent fairy, Tinker Bell is the best tinker in all of Pixie Hollow and she can fix just about anything. In her book, The Trouble with Tink Tink has lost her hammer and maybe her talent and she has to return to Peter Pan (someone she hasn’t seen since came to Never Land) and find her spare hammer so that she can get her talent back.
This series is a fantastic tribute to the magic of Tinker Bell and the other pixies found in Pixie Hollow. Her fame as a Disney heroine is demonstrated over and over again – she was even recently featured in the Princess Wishes ice show that is on tour – her job is to sprinkle the fairy dust that transports all of us to see each of the wishes come true.
Do you believe in fairies?
Other Books in the Disney Fairies Series:
- Fira and the Full Moon
- Beck and the Great Berry Battle
- Lily’s Pesky Plant
- Prilla and the Butterfly Lie