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Unfairies
Prepare to enter the world of the Unfairies! A hilarious new full-colour graphic novel series from breakout talent Huw Aaron, where the epic adventure of Amulet meets the super silly humour of Bunny VS Monkey and Dog Man . . . all on the scale of The Borrowers . . .
Some stories will tell you fairies are sweet, kind, magical creatures. Well, those stories are WRONG.
It’s time everyone knew the fairies are sneaky, violent and about as magical as slugs.
Join our RECKLESS, FEARLESS and, well, CLUELESS, hero Pip on a breakneck adventure among the warring unfairy tribes of The Garden.
Expect sinister plots, dubious ancient prophecies, thrilling centipede chases, a bit of bug-bum honey . . . and a hero who doesn’t give two hoots about anything.
"I loved everything about this book. It's just SO funny' - Rob Biddulph, bestselling author of the Draw With Rob and Peanut Jones series
'You'll be wowed . . . Unfairies is enviably bonkers and I loved it.' - Sheena Dempsey, bestselling author of Pablo and Spash
Some stories will tell you fairies are sweet, kind, magical creatures. Well, those stories are WRONG.
It’s time everyone knew the fairies are sneaky, violent and about as magical as slugs.
Join our RECKLESS, FEARLESS and, well, CLUELESS, hero Pip on a breakneck adventure among the warring unfairy tribes of The Garden.
Expect sinister plots, dubious ancient prophecies, thrilling centipede chases, a bit of bug-bum honey . . . and a hero who doesn’t give two hoots about anything.
"I loved everything about this book. It's just SO funny' - Rob Biddulph, bestselling author of the Draw With Rob and Peanut Jones series
'You'll be wowed . . . Unfairies is enviably bonkers and I loved it.' - Sheena Dempsey, bestselling author of Pablo and Spash
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2026
9 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 2, 2025
This was sooo much fun! Definitely one for the adults and the kids
July 30, 2025
This is so funny and ridiculous, the illustrations are gorgeous and I really hope this blows up in the graphic novel market!
August 2, 2025
I would give this more than 5 stars if I could! It's SO so funny and that ending gave me LIFE
December 17, 2025
Unfairies is hilariously silly and beautifully illustrated. The style of the graphics reminded me of DogMan, and the story was just as silly but uplifting as all of our favourite middle grade graphic novels. This novel is sure to delight middle grade readers everywhere!
February 12, 2026
This book was recommended by my son. It was a milestone for me to get recommendations from my kids. And what's best is I found out my son has excellent taste! This book is funny, witty and just great fun! A great read for kids and their adults!
July 29, 2025
THIS IS SO CUTE I wanna be a fairy and live in an oak tree and have life be so colourful <3
November 2, 2025
Unfairies is an entertaining twist on the traditional fairy-tale. Instead of gentle, graceful fairies, these ones race through the pages causing chaos and laughter wherever they go. The story is packed with visual jokes, quick-fire panels and exaggerated action that keeps the pace fast and exciting.
Aaron’s artwork is bold and expressive, with dramatic facial expressions and lively layouts which invite readers to look closely - there’s always another funny detail tucked into the background!
A fun, imaginative read that brings a fresh, comedic twist to fairy-tale characters and shows how much joy can come from a little (or a lot of) chaos.
Aaron’s artwork is bold and expressive, with dramatic facial expressions and lively layouts which invite readers to look closely - there’s always another funny detail tucked into the background!
A fun, imaginative read that brings a fresh, comedic twist to fairy-tale characters and shows how much joy can come from a little (or a lot of) chaos.
March 10, 2026
I didn't intend on reading this. I'd picked it up after inspecting its Book of the month counterparts and found, to my surprise, that the children's fiction was a good deal heavier than any of the other categories. Then I read the title: a fictive proper noun utilising something of a pun, its prefix colourised in the same manner as the main character's hair. I was intrigued. It all suggested a mood of deviance, if not a fair deal of subversion. And I'm happy to say that that's exactly what the reader is delivered. Now I know that its heavy in more than one way.
Huw Aaron provides you with a reinvention of the fairy archetype. Certain notions of what constitutes fairies are retained whilst others are rather gleefully abandoned. And since the story's narrator happens to be one of them, these diversions from typical characteristics are made explicit: He's very keen to correct the reader's 'uninformed' comprehension of his kind.
The setting where the fairies dwell is typical for example: what could be just a modern garden essentially makes up their universe. Atypical however is the manipulation of the setting to establish direct parallels to modern living, which also gives the fictional world a sense of logic; The ecosystem is utilised by the fairies for all kinds of familiar societal purposes, the insects which inhabit the tree for example act as public transportation and a means for delivering messages. This background also influences the discourse of the entire text. Their entire lexis, terminology, lexicology, and phrasology are all dependent on verbal associations with nature, ecology, plants, and the general outdoors. It can be quite entertaining to see this style and diction in action, as familiar idioms deviate with a harmless insertion of some signature referencing a known element of a garden, or the rapid fire delivery of puns and phonetic wordplay featuring similar linguistic deviation.
The main point here is that these fairies aren't magical, at least not in the sense of having any supernatural influence on their environment. They' reminded me slightly of Tolkein's Dwarves in a way. They spend a lot of time in the deep recesses of their environment. They're reliant on sources of energy and relationships of trade. They're divided into factions through geography and culture. And they are mischievous and trouble making amongst themselves rather than toward other creatures. To be quite frank these fairies are supreme blunderers, caught up in detrimental operations of tradition and bureaucracy. It's Pip, the self proclaimed 'Lost' fairy, with all his naivety, eccentricity and lack of inhibition and sense of convention, who effectively illuminates their flaws.
Perhaps I'm being influenced by the book's graphic form but Pip fondly reminds me of Goku from DragonBall. He's a general deviant, hailing from an unknown lineage, excited by the mere prospect of combat, and often offends those he meets with his ostensibly simplistic perspectives and ignorance. He's also single minded, which somewhat purifies him as a protagonist; he's persistent, rarely contemplating his choices or surroundings beyond a tart observation. The goal, that which aids in making this a pacy and ever developing quest, is to party. This puts him at odds with a great many of the fairies who tend to deem him as an accident prone and unintelligent nuisance, whilst some see him as an opportunity for financial and political gain.
Yes, it's a political fairy tale. The alliance from whom we have our overall point of view suffers from its internal conflicts of interest and ideology whilst also trying to uphold civil relations with the forces beyond the oak tree in which they mostly dwell. Pip therefore signifies the spirit of revolution. He's a foil for the recalcitrant and unimaginative system of government. But he's not entirely infallible - since he does, albeit innocently, become embroiled in corrupt practices of resource distribution in the supposed name of the greater good.
Indeed, Unfairies makes for an entertaining piece of satire, having a distinct flavour of Monty Python at certain points thanks to its tendency to juxtapose conventionality and ostensible common sense with more idealistic and simplified ways of thinking. Stagnant democracy, excessive bureaucracy, indoctrination and war are not the only targets in the book's sights, it aims for story telling conventions too. Like Monty Python films it utilises a typical fantastical quest narrative to poke fun at and subvert. This in turn encourages a fair bit of explicit and implicit meta humour. The panels themselves might dissolve at a point of overt commentary on the authorial nature of the reality at hand, or Pip might highlight a minor plot hole or logical inconsistency. It becomes a story that, in a self-effacing sense, teaches the reader about typical story structure through its attention to traditional elements, standard cliches, and its sparing use of what one might call a self-conscious narrator – a character playing a part in the story themselves.
But its competently structured on its own merits too. The aforementioned goal is soon sidetracked, before getting sidetracked again with a development of a suspense element, before that too gets subverted and the quest deepens further. The narrative as a whole is essentially divided through the geography of the setting. What may as well be chapters take place in very particular parts of the tree. And where they are is dependent on the requirements of whatever mission Pip has unwittingly landed himself in. And each setting is marvellously illustrated, Aaron quite rightly credits the colourist for their contribution to it. Page 80 foregrounds a change of narrative pace through a use of otherwise rarely seen pinks and creams, allowing for a sense of relief and clarity to wash over the reader.
Overall this is as entertaining and clever a children's graphic novel as you could hope to find. It's not ashamed to have fun and be silly whilst dealing with loftier themes. I await part 2 eagerly, and I suggest the younger ones get up to speed for it.
Huw Aaron provides you with a reinvention of the fairy archetype. Certain notions of what constitutes fairies are retained whilst others are rather gleefully abandoned. And since the story's narrator happens to be one of them, these diversions from typical characteristics are made explicit: He's very keen to correct the reader's 'uninformed' comprehension of his kind.
The setting where the fairies dwell is typical for example: what could be just a modern garden essentially makes up their universe. Atypical however is the manipulation of the setting to establish direct parallels to modern living, which also gives the fictional world a sense of logic; The ecosystem is utilised by the fairies for all kinds of familiar societal purposes, the insects which inhabit the tree for example act as public transportation and a means for delivering messages. This background also influences the discourse of the entire text. Their entire lexis, terminology, lexicology, and phrasology are all dependent on verbal associations with nature, ecology, plants, and the general outdoors. It can be quite entertaining to see this style and diction in action, as familiar idioms deviate with a harmless insertion of some signature referencing a known element of a garden, or the rapid fire delivery of puns and phonetic wordplay featuring similar linguistic deviation.
The main point here is that these fairies aren't magical, at least not in the sense of having any supernatural influence on their environment. They' reminded me slightly of Tolkein's Dwarves in a way. They spend a lot of time in the deep recesses of their environment. They're reliant on sources of energy and relationships of trade. They're divided into factions through geography and culture. And they are mischievous and trouble making amongst themselves rather than toward other creatures. To be quite frank these fairies are supreme blunderers, caught up in detrimental operations of tradition and bureaucracy. It's Pip, the self proclaimed 'Lost' fairy, with all his naivety, eccentricity and lack of inhibition and sense of convention, who effectively illuminates their flaws.
Perhaps I'm being influenced by the book's graphic form but Pip fondly reminds me of Goku from DragonBall. He's a general deviant, hailing from an unknown lineage, excited by the mere prospect of combat, and often offends those he meets with his ostensibly simplistic perspectives and ignorance. He's also single minded, which somewhat purifies him as a protagonist; he's persistent, rarely contemplating his choices or surroundings beyond a tart observation. The goal, that which aids in making this a pacy and ever developing quest, is to party. This puts him at odds with a great many of the fairies who tend to deem him as an accident prone and unintelligent nuisance, whilst some see him as an opportunity for financial and political gain.
Yes, it's a political fairy tale. The alliance from whom we have our overall point of view suffers from its internal conflicts of interest and ideology whilst also trying to uphold civil relations with the forces beyond the oak tree in which they mostly dwell. Pip therefore signifies the spirit of revolution. He's a foil for the recalcitrant and unimaginative system of government. But he's not entirely infallible - since he does, albeit innocently, become embroiled in corrupt practices of resource distribution in the supposed name of the greater good.
Indeed, Unfairies makes for an entertaining piece of satire, having a distinct flavour of Monty Python at certain points thanks to its tendency to juxtapose conventionality and ostensible common sense with more idealistic and simplified ways of thinking. Stagnant democracy, excessive bureaucracy, indoctrination and war are not the only targets in the book's sights, it aims for story telling conventions too. Like Monty Python films it utilises a typical fantastical quest narrative to poke fun at and subvert. This in turn encourages a fair bit of explicit and implicit meta humour. The panels themselves might dissolve at a point of overt commentary on the authorial nature of the reality at hand, or Pip might highlight a minor plot hole or logical inconsistency. It becomes a story that, in a self-effacing sense, teaches the reader about typical story structure through its attention to traditional elements, standard cliches, and its sparing use of what one might call a self-conscious narrator – a character playing a part in the story themselves.
But its competently structured on its own merits too. The aforementioned goal is soon sidetracked, before getting sidetracked again with a development of a suspense element, before that too gets subverted and the quest deepens further. The narrative as a whole is essentially divided through the geography of the setting. What may as well be chapters take place in very particular parts of the tree. And where they are is dependent on the requirements of whatever mission Pip has unwittingly landed himself in. And each setting is marvellously illustrated, Aaron quite rightly credits the colourist for their contribution to it. Page 80 foregrounds a change of narrative pace through a use of otherwise rarely seen pinks and creams, allowing for a sense of relief and clarity to wash over the reader.
Overall this is as entertaining and clever a children's graphic novel as you could hope to find. It's not ashamed to have fun and be silly whilst dealing with loftier themes. I await part 2 eagerly, and I suggest the younger ones get up to speed for it.
August 15, 2025
Well illustrated and visually fun with extra side jokes and visual humor. It lacked story and I grew tired of it. I hated the main character who seemed to have two character identities one was being 'bored' all the time while the other was taking several bathroom breaks. Dull, but as I'm not the intended audience, I expect it'll do well for children.
July 26, 2025
Got to read this before it was published and I when I say kids and adults alike need to read this I’m not joking. This was so funny and joyful and just a pleasure to read.
Great for fans of DogMan and Bunny vs Monkey. You won’t be disappointed
Great for fans of DogMan and Bunny vs Monkey. You won’t be disappointed
August 24, 2025
I loved this graphic novel! It was beautifully illustrated, and it was just complete and utter chaos which I absolutely loved!
Pip is a fairy who goes on an epic mission! What starts off as a simple quest to deliver a report to the dreaded department turns into a brutal journey to find food for all of the fairies and find the hero that will fulfil the ancient prophecy. Will Pip complete his mission with the friends he meets along the way before it’s too late?
I loved reading this graphic novel! The characters were just amazing, and I didn’t want to put it down! It was jam packed with jokes that made me laugh out loud, action, and complete and utter chaos! I really enjoyed Huw’s writing style, and I hope to read more of his work, especially the sequel which comes out next year!
Pip is a fairy who goes on an epic mission! What starts off as a simple quest to deliver a report to the dreaded department turns into a brutal journey to find food for all of the fairies and find the hero that will fulfil the ancient prophecy. Will Pip complete his mission with the friends he meets along the way before it’s too late?
I loved reading this graphic novel! The characters were just amazing, and I didn’t want to put it down! It was jam packed with jokes that made me laugh out loud, action, and complete and utter chaos! I really enjoyed Huw’s writing style, and I hope to read more of his work, especially the sequel which comes out next year!
December 9, 2025
The Unfairies is a chaotic, funny, and totally entertaining graphic novel that turns every fairy stereotype upside down. Packed with sneaky factions, over-the-top battles, and nonstop twists, it’s a fast and playful read perfect for fans of quirky adventure. Pip, the clueless but lovable tree fairy at the center of it all, brings so much humour to the story as he stumbles into prophecies, acorn warfare, and fairy politics. A great pick for readers who enjoy silly, high-energy fun with lots of visual charm.
March 7, 2026
I liked Pip. He's a great friend, his enthusiasm is unmatched, he's willing to try anything and he gets himself out of the trouble he causes. He has a mission, sent from the stores into the upper tree to tell them the food has gone moldy. A search for food ensues. Pip looks at it all like a great adventure. He takes it to heart to do the tasks he is asked to do but he does them his way which causes problems but the Pip is the one that resolves those problems. He causes chaos and is a hero. I really enjoyed his character.
February 16, 2026
I thought the pacing was a little too frenetic here in a way that didn’t allow the reader space to breathe. It also dealt quite a bit with adult issues like bureaucracy and reminded me of the movie Brazil which is not the comparison you would usually make with a children’s book.
July 25, 2025
3.25 stars. Lots of fun. In style of Bunny vs Monkey & Dog Man.
August 17, 2025
Nice one! An adult reader might find some similarities to our "unfairy" world...
September 29, 2025
Quite hilarious and visually stimulating. And loooong. Great for graphic novel fends to dip in and out.
February 11, 2026
I can definitely see the audience for this book... but I am not it. I had the hardest time getting invested in this book.
March 9, 2026
funny, but with great plot twists and full circle moments.
a joy to read.
a joy to read.
March 10, 2026
Adam and I quite enjoyed this one.
March 14, 2026
I liked the art and the story was different. I think kids will really like this.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews