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By Mom Unplugged, June 5, 2007 8:31 pm

Jamichael Henterly’s sweet illustrations in this book are so lovely and detailed, you could spend quite a time studying them! The rhyming text is minimal but very pretty (Rose Fyleman wrote it in 1918!).

This is a simple book that teaches children the value of kindness. The fairy goes to the market four times. Each time she buys an animal, which she enjoys for a while then sets free; or once a lovely “winter gown” which she enjoys for a while then gives to a cold frog. The final illustration depicts the fairy surrounded by the four animals that she helped / set free.

I just stumbled upon this by accident at Amazon while searching for a fourth book for a 4-for-3 promotion order. It was a lovely find!

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By Mom Unplugged, May 25, 2007 9:42 pm

This sweet series of books contains the poems and illustrations of Cicely Mary Barker, arranged by season or subject. Since it is now spring, I feature Flower Fairies of the Spring. These little books were first published in 1923 and the language and pictures do feel like they come from the past.

Despite the age of the book however, it is still charming and fascinating today. My 6 year-old fairy-loving daughter frequently requests one of these poems before bed. Be advised, the language is quite sophisticated and some children, particularly younger ones, might be bored. Perhaps you might want to check it out of the library first.

Each two-page spread introduces a different flower fairy through a poem and accompanying illustration. For example, first are The Crocus Fairies, then The Colt’s-Foot Fairy, followed by The Celadine Fairy, etc.

Since Cicely Mary Parker was English, many of these flowers may not be so familiar to American readers. Perhaps it could be a good introduction to a botany or gardening lesson or discussion?

The illustrations are gorgeous. The fairies are lovely and expressive. For the pictures alone, this book is worth a look. Recently, the “Flower Fairies” have become quite commercialized. This series is the classic original and contains no modern, commercial references whatsoever.

I believe that these poems and illustrations can be found all together in a large volume, but I like this series since the books are quite small (about 5.5″ x 4.5″) and seem all the more magical because of their tiny size.

Other books in the series are:

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By Mom Unplugged, March 8, 2007 8:50 pm

My children sit captivated by this innocent Swedish story of the adventures of two acorn brothers who fly off on an oak leaf and encounter angry gnomes and trolls, as well as playful chestnut children.

First published in 1939, it is a gentle tale which reminds me very much of The Story of the Root-Children (Sibylle Von Olfers) in its simplicity and language (please see my post on the “Root Children”). The wonderful illustrations are also similar in some ways to those of Sibylle Von Olfers.

This magical book makes everyone feel good!

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By Mom Unplugged, February 11, 2007 12:33 pm

This delightful book has become a favorite for bedtime.

The nice story is of a little girl and her fairy encounter while on vacation. My 6 year-old girl, and even my 4 year-old boy, can’t seem to get enough of it!