Author: Julia Jarman
Publisher: Andersen
Release Date: 4 April 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1849390187
Synopsis
When Natasha moves to a new house, she discovers a statue of a fairy in her garden beneath a huge menacing fir tree, which Natasha is sure is a witch. Gradually, with the help of a local boy, she unravels an ancient story that fairies stole the witch’s baby and as revenge she turned a fairy to stone. Natasha realizes that the only way to free the stone fairy, Pillywiggins, is to go into Fairy Land herself and rescue the witch’s baby. But legend says that any human who enters Fairy Land may age decades or never come out at all.
My Review
This is another book that has been nominated for Children's Book of the Year with our Children's Book Group. I am reading all the shortlist first before they are given to the Children. Aimed at 8-12 year olds.
This book is so short, it is 115 pages, but the writing is big and there are illustrations every 6 or so pages. I read the entire thing i about 35 minutes. It would be perfect for kids that like reading but aren't too confident yet.
Natasha moves to a new house, it overlooks an old garden when a big spooky tree takes up most of the space, to Tasha it looks like the tree has a face - a twisted scary face like a witch and below the tree is a statue of an elf. When Tasha meets a boy at school he tells her a story about how the fairies stole the witches baby and so she turned it to stone as revenge.
The fairies name is Pillywiggins and Tasha decides to help free her, but to do so she must journey into the Fairy world, but legend says if you go into fairy you won't come back.
I thought the idea of the book was good but it seemed a bit rushed with only basic details thrown in. I don't know if she had a maximum word count she had to stick to but it was very basic. However saying that it did make it easy to read and there was enough to give you a feel of the story.
Obviously I'm used to longer more complex books, but this could really work well with children as a quick read. None of my book group will have an excuse not to read it, but I have to wonder if it's a bit too simple for them. We'll have to wait and see.
Overall for me it was a good story but too short and simple, but for the right age group- young girls who like fairies it will be perfect. I think it would suit 6 years and up.
My Rating
In terms of my enjoyment of this book I would give it 6/10 but rating it in regards of it's intended audience, then it works well and so would give it 8/10. Add this to Christmas lists if you have a child between 6-9, especially girls.
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