Book Review: Princess of the Midnight Ball

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Princess of the Midnight Ball (The Princesses of Westfalin Trilogy, #1)
by  Jessica Day George

Galen comes home from the war and gets a job as gardener in the royal palace gardens. There he meets the twelve princesses and hears rumors that they wear out their dancing slippers every third night. Noble princes come and go, each trying to solve the mystery, but they all fail. The king agrees to give Galen special permission to investigate the mystery, and Galen discovers that the princesses are held under a strong enchantment, forced to dance for the King Under Stone and his twelve sons.

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Book Review: The Fairy Tale Fan Club

The Fairy Tale Fan Club by Richard Ayoade

The Fairy Tale Fan Club: Legendary Letters Collected by C.C. Cecily
by Richard Ayoade, David Roberts (illustrator)

3 out of 5 stars

The Senior Secretary handles all the letters that come into the Fairy Tale Fan Club. Each letter asks a question of a famous fairy tale character, and we get to see their answers. One fan asks Rapunzel for advice about getting a haircut. Is it better to keep your hair long or cut it short?

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Book Review: Gilded

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

Gilded (Gilded, #1)
by  Marissa Meyer (Goodreads Author)

3 out of 5 stars

Serilda has been blessed by the god of stories, and so the people in her village denounce her as a liar. One night on the full moon, she encounters the dark ones on their moonlit hunt. She lies to the Erlking, and tells him that she can spin straw into gold. Taken to his dungeon, she must prove herself by spinning the straw and creating gold, or be killed. A strange boy appears in the dungeon and claims that he can help her, but she must pay a price for his magic.

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Book Review: Finding Fairies

Finding Fairies by Michelle Roehm McCann

Finding Fairies: Secrets for Attracting Magickal Folk
by Michelle Roehm McCann, Marianne Monson (Goodreads Author),David Hohn (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This book gives folk stories about fairies from all over the world. In each chapter we also get a recipe or craft we can make to hopefully entice the fairies to visit us. We can make a Japanese fan, a flower crown, or Chinese Cherry Dumplings. There also little gnomes and other creatures who live alongside the fairies. There are even games and music to play that come from all around the globe. You can go on a Djinn treasure hunt, make a leaf basket, or eat some Pixie Porridge.

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Book Review: Nordic Animal Tales

An Illustrated Collection of Nordic Animal Tales by Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin

An Illustrated Collection of Nordic Animal Tales
by Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin, Jill Timbers (Translator)

4 out of 5 stars

This collection of folk tales follows Bear, Fox, and Wolf as they attempt to sow a field of wheat by clearing a space in the forest. Fox is always trying to get out of doing his share of the work, and he tricks his friends and neighbors. The Rooster at the nearby farm has a terrible premonition that the end of the world is coming, and he spreads a panic among the animals. The Hare is terrified at some strange monster creature in the woods, but no animal is brave enough to get close enough to find out what kind of creature it is. In each tale, Fox is a prominent character, always sly and clever.

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Fairy Story Picture Book Reviews

Little Fairy Can't Sleep by Daniela Drescher

Little Fairy Can’t Sleep
by Daniela Drescher

3.5 out of 5 stars

Faith can’t sleep. The moon is too bright, and all the little animals in the forest are scuffling through the underbrush making noise. She gets up and begins to explore. One by one she sees the sandman, an owl, a family of little elves, and a fox mother. They all agree that there is something strange in the air that night, and no one is ready to sleep. Faith meets the moth prince fairy and he helps her to solve the mystery of why everyone is awake. It is midsummer night and the fairies are having a party!

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Book Review: Illustrated Tales of Dwarfs, Gnomes, and Fairy Folk

Illustrated Tales of Dwarfs, Gnomes and Fairy Folk by Daniela Drescher

Illustrated Tales of Dwarfs, Gnomes and Fairy Folk
by Daniela Drescher (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

I am so impressed with this beautiful book of fairy tales! They are told in that traditional fairy tale style. Each story is so enchanting! Most of these are stories that I have never heard of before.

The art style is so beautiful! The subtle colors and the delicate lines are absolutely lovely and magical! I love how little details in the background will catch your attention, and add meaning to the story. It’s so delightful to see these stories come alive in the art work!

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Book Review: Tales of Fearless Girls

Forgotten Fairy Tales by Isabel Otter

Forgotten Fairy Tales: Fearless Girls Around the World
by Isabel Otter, Ana Sender (Illustrations)

This collection of fairy tales features stories from all over the globe. Each story has a fearless woman or girl who dives into adventure with courage and resourcefulness. The stories have a wide range of settings in different cultures, including Germany, Mexico, Siberia, Japan, Fiji, Nigeria, and India. Some of the tales include magical beings like elves and sorcerers, and some have magic gods and giants.

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Book Review: Fairy Tales for Brave Children

An Illustrated Collection of Fairy Tales for Brave Children by Hans Christian Andersen

An Illustrated Collection of Fairy Tales for Brave Children
by Hans Christian AndersenWilhelm GrimmJacob GrimmScott Plumbe (Author) (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

I am so impressed with this beautiful book of fairy tales! They are told in that traditional fairy tale style, and include some well-known favorites like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Hansel and Gretel” as well as a few lesser-known stories.
I especially liked “The Wild Swans” and “The Three Golden Hairs”. I had never read “The Spirit in the Bottle” or “The Selfish Giant” before, and I enjoyed those very much as well. Each story is so enchanting!

The art style is so beautiful! The subtle colors and the delicate lines are absolutely lovely and magical! I love how little details in the background will catch your attention, and add meaning to the story. It’s so delightful to see these stories come alive in the art work!

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Book Review: Welsh Legendary Tales

Welsh Legendary Tales by Elisabeth Shippard-Jones

Welsh Legendary Tales
by Elisabeth Shippard-Jones
4 out of 5 stars

This collection of Welsh fairy tales is a complete delight! Each story is about 2-4 pages long. The writing is in a traditional fairy tale style, and the stories usually include some sort of moral lesson about being generous, minding your own business, or being cautious around magic.

Leprechauns, brownies, goblins, changelings, and fairies abound through the stories! There are magical cows who produce ten times the milk of a regular cow. There are fairy rings where the fairies dance the night away, and if you step inside one you will be whisked out of the realm of man.

I enjoyed reading these stories, one or two every evening at bedtime. I found them refreshing and imaginative and fun!