Felicity Wishes

Lore & Background

The series follows Felicity, a blonde fairy who loves pink and wears pink-and-white stripy tights, and her friends Holly, Polly, Daisy, and Winnie. Felicity attends the School of Nine Wishes, where fairies have single wings before graduation; graduated fairies have double wings. Her constant companion is a little blue bird named Bertie, a prominent male character among several other male characters in the series (e.g., teachers, minor characters). The stories are set pre-graduation, with Felicity and her friends eating cake and drinking tea at Sparkles Cafe. Some stories were co-authored by Helen Bailey.

Reader's Guide

The Felicity Wishes brand expanded from greeting cards and nightwear into a major children's publishing and merchandising phenomenon, with 101 books in 22 languages and a 56-part magazine. Each magazine issue highlighted a different aspirational fairy-role, such as Carpenter, Film Maker, Shop Keeper, Eco-worker, Gardener, Chef, Architect, and Journalist. The series received criticism in 2007 from The Independent and in 2012 from The Alpha Parent, who argued that the magazine's focus on traditionally feminine jobs and sparkly outfits limited girls' aspirations. Despite this, the brand's global reach and extensive product line underscore its commercial significance in children's media.

Did You Know?

• Felicity Wishes was first published on greeting cards for adults produced by Danilo.
• There are 56 parts of the Felicity Wishes magazine, each highlighting a different aspirational fairy-role.
• The series includes 101 books in 22 languages.