Review of "Marky the Magnificent Fairy" by Cynthia Kern Obrien, Illustrated by Jeff Yesh, Narrated by Immy Dymott

Audiobook Score: 96/100 (9.6 out of 10)
Paperback Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)

We're supremely excited to revisit one of our favorite ever children's books, Marky the Magnificent Fairy--the 1st-place overall winner of our 2023 Winter Contest and our 2023 Children's Book of the Year! This time, we got to experience this remarkable little story in AUDIOBOOK format! Hooray!

Marky the Magnificent Fairy is beautifully written by Cynthia Kern Obrien and colorfully illustrated by Jeff Yesh, the illustrator of other OCA award-winning works like The Great Animal Escape and Night Watchers (Story Monster's S.T.E.A.M. Chronicles Book 1)! Both author and illustrator bring their A-game to this hard-hitting, impactful, beautiful, and inspirational book!

And you know who else brings their A-game? Immy Dymott, the outstanding narrator of the audiobook version of this book!

Rather, Immy brings her A+ game to make this one of the best audiobooks in the entire Story Monsters Read Along collection!

This is one of our favorite children's audiobooks of all time! It's right up there with Sora Searches for a Song by Once Upon a Dance and Do You Know the One? by Michelle Bentley. However, while those audiobooks benefited from a ton of extra production including sound effects and music (which probably move them into another tier altogether), this audiobook largely rests on the performance of its phenomenal narrator. Immy elevates this into the stratosphere! Hats off to you, Immy! You are going places!

We'll get back to the writing, illustrations, and narration later, but let's talk a little about this book's incredible premise, characters, and story.

Marky is a spirited woodland fairy with glasses, freckles, red hair—and one small wing that prevents her from flying. Though joyful and talented, she is teased by other creatures (especially the "woodland creatures" like spiders, mice, moths, and praying mantises) who focus on her differences. However, instead of shrinking away, Marky speaks up, declaring that she’s not so different after all. She reveals her many strengths—drawing, singing, dancing—and shares her dreams of becoming a fashion designer.

Tomo, Marky's adorable sidekick, plays a subtle but essential role in Marky the Magnificent Fairy. Though he doesn’t speak, Tomo appears by Marky's side throughout her journey, offering silent support and companionship. His bright yellow color, round eyes, and constant presence on the page help symbolize something crucial—unconditional friendship.

In fact, the book includes a definition of "Tomo" on page 33, noting that it means “friend” in English and is derived from tomodachi in Japanese. This linguistic detail adds a thoughtful multicultural layer and further reinforces the idea that friendship transcends appearance, ability, or language.

Tomo never mocks Marky for her small wing or different appearance. Instead, he’s always there—smiling while she tap dances, listens while she sings, and stands beside her when she declares her hopes and dreams. He is a gentle but powerful embodiment of loyalty and love, showing children that true friends accept and uplift each other, no matter what.

As the story unfolds, Marky the Magnificent Fairy beautifully expands its message of inclusivity by introducing three other woodland characters—each with their own exceptional qualities and aspirations, just like Marky.

First, we meet JoJo, a cheerful fairy who uses a wheelchair because he is unable to walk. His condition is described as a “visible” exceptional quality, but the story never portrays it as a limitation. Instead, JoJo’s vibrant mind and kind heart shine through his love of books. He dreams of becoming a doctor, revealing a nurturing spirit and a desire to help others, which adds depth and dignity to his character. His presence teaches children that physical challenges do not define one’s potential or value.

Next is Nixie, whose “invisible” exceptional quality is that she is deaf—she cannot hear. Yet, the book makes clear that this does not make her any less joyful or capable. Nixie is shown actively playing games and smiling, fully immersed in life. Her dream is to become a dog trainer, a goal that demonstrates both empathy and determination. Her inclusion encourages readers to understand that invisible differences can be just as real, and just as important to recognize and respect.

Finally, we meet Fancy, a charismatic fairy with an “exceptional quality” described as loud. She sometimes stutters or struggles to control her movements, but that doesn’t stop her from shining. In fact, Fancy dreams of being a famous singer, highlighting her fearless ambition and passion for performance. Her dream, like those of the others, shows children that challenges do not erase dreams—in fact, they can make them even more powerful.

Together, these characters reinforce the central truth of the story: that being different is not something to hide or fear. Instead, it’s something to celebrate. Each fairy and elf is portrayed with dignity, joy, and determination, showing young readers that everyone has hopes, dreams, and the right to feel magnificent.

Eventually, the once-critical woodland creatures apologize, realizing that everyone, regardless of their differences, has “hopes and dreams” and deserves kindness and acceptance.

In other words, certain aspects of our existence are universal despite our differences. These commonalities include having hopes, dreams, aspirations, passions, and interests.

This is such a feel-good, warming-feeling story!

It' s infectiously positive even when exploring negative experiences like bullying and teasing, feeling different or excluded, feeling insecure or undesirable, and having a fear of speaking up. It also tactfully explores the topic of disabilities and those who live and thrive with them.

A disability does not derail or dictate your life. People with disabilities go on to do outstanding things! Just look at remarkable, magnificent Marky and her friends!

The story ultimately transforms these seemingly negative things into positive lessons of kindness, self-love, and empathy. It doesn’t shy away from showing that bad feelings are real, but it also shows that healing, forgiveness, and acceptance are possible.

Kudos to Cynthia Kern Obrien for the concept, characters, writing, and story!

This is probably the most marketable book in the vast and diverse Story Monsters catalog, blending heartfelt storytelling, vibrant illustrations, and a universally relevant message about kindness, self-acceptance, and resilience that appeals to children, parents, educators, and librarians alike.

It's also very focused despite tackling so many topics and juggling multiple characters. At it's core, it's very direct, straightforward, and digestible.

Everyone has felt a bit like Marky at one time or another. We've all felt like we didn't quite fit in or that we were different somehow. That's why a lot of us became authors who use writing and storytelling to vent and express the things we often struggle to say verbally.

We've also seen the plushies and puppets of Marky & Tomo, and we can see the enormous potential in their reach!

The art style by Jeff Yesh, is bright, whimsical, and full of charm, perfectly complementing the book’s uplifting message. The illustrations use vibrant colors and playful designs to create a magical woodland world that feels both inviting and lively. Characters are drawn with expressive faces and exaggerated features, making their emotions easily recognizable for young readers. Subtle details, like the sparkle in Marky’s eyes or the joyful way she dances, add warmth and personality to every scene. The visual storytelling is clear and accessible, helping even very young children understand the emotional journey without relying solely on text. Speaking of the text, it helps that the font size is large and appealing.

Also, key phrases and words like "She was a MAGNIFICENT little fairy" and "I have HOPES and DREAMS!” are bolded for emphasis.

This really helps when you're reading aloud.

Speaking of which... let's conclude by returning to the extraordinary narrating job that Immy Dymott did!

We were already impressed by her performance in The Fisherman and the French Flounder audiobook. We compared listening to her to being like being read a story by Wendy Darling from Peter Pan/Neverland lore. She has this really angelic, clean, clear, and enchanting British accent and voice.

Well, she was able to spread her wings and do even more in this book! And she shined in really subtle ways that we noticed.

For example, there's a moment when she was talking about all the things that Marky could do despite not being able to fly. One of those things was having a passion and talent for singing.

Well, not only does Immy read this, her voice actually cuts in with a separate recording of her (voicing Marky) singing, "La la la laaaaaa!"

What a nice touch!

Another nice touch is having her voice all of the woodland creatures separately, then playing them simultaneously when they're all apologizing to Marky.

This earned this audiobook a 9.6 out of 10 (our highest score)!

Check it out on Amazon!