In spring, the fairies dance with the butterflies and call to the flowers, letting them know it's time to wake up and blossom. At midsummer, the fairies make beautiful glowing lanterns and dance through the night.
In autumn, they help the animals to find food and shelter to tide them through the winter. And when the first snow falls, the fairies put on their hats and jackets and check that everyone is safely tucked away in cosy burrows.
When I was a very little girl, I remember being entranced by Cicely Mary Barker's classic Flower Fairies books. In many ways, In the Land of Fairies reminds me of her work. The illustrations are richly detailed. Each fairy is carefully depicted, with clothing and colouring that corresponds with their role in the natural world — woodland fairies have butterfly wings, for example, while the winter fairies have bright-red caps and boots that match the red breasts of their friends, the robins.
Originally published in Germany, this book is very European in feel, with foxes and deer, hedgehogs and squirrels, but its simple message of appreciating nature and enjoying what each of the seasons has to offer is applicable wherever you live. It's a gentle tale, enchantingly told.
Title: In the Land of Fairies
Author/Illustrator: Daniela Drescher
Publisher: Floris Books, $17.95 RRP
Publication Date: April 2013
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9780863159947
For ages: 5–8
Type: Picture Book