fairies – Page 2 – Aussie Reviews

The Fairies Song and Dance Book

We welcome you to Fairyland
Come and join along
With our special fairy friends
And have some fairy fun.

Full of sparkles and fairy characters, The Fairies Song and Dance Book is a an offering sure to impress girls aged between 3 and 7, particularly those who are familiar with the ABC Television series The Fairies

The book comes with a CD recording of fourteen fairy songs, with the lyrics featuring in the book alongside photographic images from the television show. Young fans can learn the words to the songs featured in the series, and those not yet familiar with the television show will find this an enticement to watch.

Lots of fairy fun.

The Fairies Song and Dance Book
ABC Books, 2008

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The Fairy Alphabet

A is for alphabet,
A leads on to B
B is for Barnaby,
the Bizzy Buzzy Bee

So begins this cutesy alphabet book, featuring the characters from ABC television’s The Fairies. With a combination of photography and full colour illustration, simple rhyming text and lots of sparkles, the book is aimed squarely at the under-fives, especially little girls.

Whilst the rhyming pattern is a little inconsistent – in the latter pages it almost disappears, with ‘bright’ rhymed with ‘ripe’ and ‘tot’ with ‘drops’ – the book is sure to sell well in the gift market and appeal to young fairy fanatics.

The Fairy Alphabet, The Fairies
ABC Books, 2007

The Rainbow Wand, by Emily Rodda

essie’s heart lurched. She remembered Tasha’s silver fairy wings. Her grandmother’s voice echoed in her mind.
‘There are Doors to the Realm all over the world, Jessie. But only people who believe in magic can find them.’
“Tasha found the Door!” Jessie heard herself saying. “She’s gone into the Realm!”

Jessie has always enjoyed her adventures in the Fairy Realm, travelling through the door at the bottom of her grandmother’s garden, but when another human child, four year old Tasha, accidentally enters the Realm, Jessie knows she could be in trouble. She must find Tasha and return her home before anything goes wrong.

Meanwhile, she must also stop her sticky beak next door neighbour, Mrs Tweedie, from finding out too much about the Realm. Has Mrs Tweedie sent Tasha in deliberately and what can Jessie do about it?

The Rainbow Wand is the fourth and final title in the second series of the Fairy Realm series. There are plenty of fairies and other magical creatures, as well as adventure and mystery. Young readers will also enjoy the hard back format and beautiful fairy illustrations. This is an excellent series for girls aged 8 to 10, and maybe a little older, and is also suited to reading aloud.

Fairy Realm: The Rainbow Wand, by Emily Rodda
ABC Books, 2006

The Peskie Spell, by Emily Rodda

She began to sing, moving her broom in time to the music:
“Pesky weather; nothing goes right!Pesky weather; lock the door tight!
Make a magic brew
With seven drops of dew,
A drop of thistle milk,
And a strand of spider silk…”

With the weather both sunny and windy, Jessie’s mum is singing an old song that grandma sometimes sings, but neither of them realises the significance of the song. When Jess goes to call on her friends in the Realm, she finds them barricaded inside the palace. A wild wind has brought the mischievous Peskies down from the hills and they’re up to all sorts of trouble. If they can’t be banished soon, all the magic of the realm will vanish.

The spell to get rid of the Peskies has been forgotten – by everyone, it seems, but Jessie’s grandmother. It is up to Jessie to teach it to the others and then set off to find the magical ingredient.

The Peskie Spell is the third title in the Fairy Realm, series two. Just like the earlier titles it is filled with fairies, elves and other mystical creatures, plenty of magic and a happy ending. These hardcover offerings, with delightful illustrations by Raoul Vitale, are sure to appeal to young girls.

The Peskie Spell, by Emily Rodda
ABC Books, 2006

The Water Spirits, by Emily Rodda

Princess Jessie! The village of Lirralee invites you to baby Jewel’s Welcome Party on Saturday afternoon. The party begins at three o’clock and ends when the birds go to bed. There will be music, dancing, games and lots of food. Please come!

Jessie can’t wait to enter the fairy realm and go to Patrice’s old village for a party. But inside the realm, as she follows a daisy trail to the party, she is set upon by mud wubbles. When the water sprites rescue her, Jessie wants to do them a good turn as repayment. But when she does, she unwittingly causes more trouble than she set out to fix. Soon the water sprites and the people of Lirralee are at war, and baby Jewel is held captive. It is up to Jessie to find a solution.

The Water Sprites is the second title in the second series of the Fairy Realm series by one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, Emily Rodda. This delightful hardcover offering is sure to find a place in the hearts (and libraries) of girls aged 6 to 10.

The Water Sprites, by Emily Rodda
ABC Books, 2005

Pearlie in the Park, by Wendy Harmer

Reviewed by Kathryn Duncan

Everyone who loves fairies is going to love Pearlie. She lives in the fountain in Jubilee Park in the middle of the city. Every day, Pearlie looks after the park, making sure that animals are doing what they are supposed to do and that the park is clean and tidy.

Then one day, things don’t go as Pearlie plans. The spiders are floating on the lily pads, ducks are swinging by their wings in the trees, possums are swimming in the pond and frogs are spinning spider’s webs.

Pearlie sets out to find out who is behind this and we join her as she discovers what went wrong. We meet the culprits, Mr Flea and Scrag, two mischievous rats who also live in Jubilee Park. They enjoy causing just a little bit of trouble for Pearlie and her friends. But Pearlie soon teaches them that being mischievous may not get them exactly what they want.

Pearlie looks just like you imagine a city fairy would look like. She has long blond hair, pearls around her neck and a great big happy grin. Mr Flea and Scrag are opposites, one fat and the other thin, but they look like they are up to something. The pictures are bright and colourful and make you want to go and enjoy a day with Pearlie and her park friends.

Recommended for lower primary school aged children or those who enjoy listening to a fun story.

Pearlie in the Park, by Wendy harmer, illustrated by Mike Zarb
Random House, 2003

Fairy Realm – The Star Cloak, by Emily Rodda

“Tomorrow night, a few minutes after the first star appears, Wish Night will begin in the Realm. The stars are getting ready for it there, and even here, in the mortal world, they seem to come closer. Even here there’s magic in the air. I feel it – and so do you.”

In the first series of Fairy Realm books, Jessie had wonderful adventures with her friends in the Realm. Now, in the first book of Series Two, Jessie and her fairy friends are preparing for Wish Night, a magical night that happens just once each year. When her friend Griff the Elf accidentally damages the Star Cloak, which is needed for the Wish Night celebrations, it is up to Jessie to get the cloak repaired and make sure the celebrations can go ahead. But first, she and Griff must face danger on Stardust Mountain.

Young fairy-lovers will be delighted with this offering – it has a delightful blend of magic, adventure and suspense. The black and white illustrations by Raoul Vitale are outstanding, with fine detail and photo-realistic depth. The hard-cover format, complete with ribbon bookmark is another highlight.

Fairy Realm: The Star Cloak, by Emily Rodda
ABC Books, 2005

Fairy Dreams, by Carol McLean-Carr

Few children don’t love fairies and other mystical beings. In Fairy Dreams, they can follow a trail of fairy mischief to find the tewleve treasures taken by the fairies from a child’s bedroom.

Along the way young readers can see mermaids, dragons, elves and unicorns and take a peek at the Fairies’ Ball.

The magic of this book is in the incredible illustrations of Carol McLean-Carr, created digitally and making use of scanned sketches and real objects as well as a digital airbrush and intricate layering of images. Pictures have a lovely depth and vibrancy which kids (and adults) will love. The text is secondary to the visual delights.

Lovely.

Fairy Dreams, by Carol McClean-Carr
Omnibus (Scholastic), 2003

Various Faerious, by Jacqui Grantford

Sometimes it can seem,
in the blink of an eye,
Some magical beings
have just passed you by.

Various Faerious reveals the magical world of faeries to young readers, with simple rhyming descriptions and captivating illustrations.

Author and illustrator Jacqui Grantford details the various kinds of faeries which inhabit different climes – from the Faeries of Snow, with crystalline wings, to the devilish Contrary Faeries, with their weird ways, and on to the debonair Flippant Faeries, who tap dance and kick up their heels.

The descriptions and verse are sweet, but there is no question that it is Grantford’s illustrations which make this book a winner. Each faerie type is depected in awe-inspiring detail in its natural surrounds, with each new spread revealing more of Grantford’s talent. The illustrations are as different as the faeries themselves and readers of all ages will be enthralled.

This is no mere book of pretty fairies with tutus and no substance. This is a collection of wonderful images, which will appeal to boy readers as much as to girls.

This is artist and graphic designer Grantford’s first picture book. Her talents are sure to be used in many more titles.

Various Faerious, written and illustrated by Jacqui Grantford
Lothian, 2002

There's a Sun Fairy in Our Garden, by Jeni Mawter

There’s a sun fairy in our garden. I know it’s there because my brother told me so.

Every youngster, boy or girl, wants to believe in fairies and, with this delightful picture book, they get a glimpse at some gloriously unique examples. The sun fairy is wearing reflector sun glasses, the rock fairy has a crash helmet and the rain fairy is wearing silver gumboots. They may elude the girl telling the story, but young readers get to see them playing and teasing.

There’s a Sun Fairy in My Garden combines the talents of author Jeni Mawter with those of talented young illustrator Christy Martin, in a tale sure to delight four to eight year old readers and their parents. As the narrator tries to tempt the fairies out with her special gifts, her older brother encourages her efforts by delighting her with his descriptions of the various fairies hiding in their garden. As well as being a gorgeous fairy book, it is also a delightful glimpse of sibling togetherness.

A beautiful offering which will be enjoyed again and again.

There’s a Sunflower in Our Garden, by Jeni Mawter, illustrated by Christy Martin
Axiom, 2001