cover image Fairies from A to Z: A Fairy Box Book

Fairies from A to Z: A Fairy Box Book

Adrienne Keith. Tricycle Press, $14.95 (48pp) ISBN 978-1-883672-10-2

Warning: if fairy dust makes you sneeze, don't open this book. From the star-spangled end papers to the iridescent lettering on the spine, every inch of this book is covered with cuteness. Though readers never catch a complete glimpse of the eponymous creatures, there are plenty of visual hints to whet the imagination. Rhyming couplets of fairy lore lead readers through the alphabet (""Deep among the oak tree Roots/ fairies hide their winter boots""; ""Fairies living where it snows/ build small Igloos for their toes""), and though the crowded, perky artwork is not without a certain sprightly charm, even fairy fanatics may find it cloying. The book includes a colorful, die-cut, pop-up box to set up and entice fairy visitors. It's a bit precious, but will likely intrigue young believers. Ages 3-up. (Oct.)