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Flower Fairies
Flower Fairies of the Autumn
Illustrated poems depict the fairies who live among the plants of autumn.
56 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1991
18 people are currently reading
2218 people want to read
About the author
Cicely Mary Barker
272 books325 followersCicely Mary Barker was the illustrator who created the famous Flower Fairies; those ethereal smiling children with butterfly wings. As a child she was influenced by the works of the illustrator Kate Greenaway, whom she assiduously copied in her formative years. Her principal influence, however, was the artwork of the Pre-Raphaelites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
August 13, 2025
This little book of fairy illustrations and poems is what I believe the inside of my brain looks like. Let me explain…
When I was a child, I adored Cecily Mary Baker’s fairy illustrations with all of my heart. Like Beatrix Potter, she was very influential in my journey to becoming an artist and writer. I have always had a vivid imagination and, like many children, loved to make up stories. I (of course) often pretended I myself was a fairy.
Over the years, I fondly remembered my attachment to Baker’s art and poetry, but I didn’t revisit them. Even if I tried, I wouldn’t have been able to since I sadly lost my original copies of her books.
A few days ago, while my friend (Lara) and I were visiting Waterstones, on Gower Street, in London, we spotted “Flower Fairies of the Autumn” by Cecily Mary Baker. Lara hadn’t heard of the flower fairy books before, so I told her how iconic they were and how special they had been to me. There were two copies of the book, and seeing as Lara and I were both born in October (on the 15th and the 17th)—which makes us “Autumn fairies” ourselves—we felt like we were meant to have them.
I can’t express how glad I am we decided to bring these precious books home with us.
While I read each poem and admired each illustration, I felt a deep and profound connection to them. I was overcome with a feeling of nostalgia. The artwork sparked the same artistic fire in me that I had felt when I was a child. I had (and still have) overwhelming need to create and tell my own stories. (I’ve had this “need” since I was very young, but it made me feel it even more intensely).
The other reason this book feels so special is because of how perfectly it fits with the current season I’m in. Although it is not yet Autumn here, in England, all of the trees, flowers, and other plants are in the process of transforming into their autumnal selves. Every time my husband and I walk through the different parks and gardens around where we live, we see countless birds and squirrels enjoying the many wild berries, plums, and apples which are ripening on every branch and stem. These plants are the very same ones Cecily Mary Baker has gorgeously captured in this autumnal book. The accompanying poems are as sweet, whimsical, and beguiling as the fairies themselves.
This is a book I will continue to treasure for the rest of my life.
When I was a child, I adored Cecily Mary Baker’s fairy illustrations with all of my heart. Like Beatrix Potter, she was very influential in my journey to becoming an artist and writer. I have always had a vivid imagination and, like many children, loved to make up stories. I (of course) often pretended I myself was a fairy.
Over the years, I fondly remembered my attachment to Baker’s art and poetry, but I didn’t revisit them. Even if I tried, I wouldn’t have been able to since I sadly lost my original copies of her books.
A few days ago, while my friend (Lara) and I were visiting Waterstones, on Gower Street, in London, we spotted “Flower Fairies of the Autumn” by Cecily Mary Baker. Lara hadn’t heard of the flower fairy books before, so I told her how iconic they were and how special they had been to me. There were two copies of the book, and seeing as Lara and I were both born in October (on the 15th and the 17th)—which makes us “Autumn fairies” ourselves—we felt like we were meant to have them.
I can’t express how glad I am we decided to bring these precious books home with us.
While I read each poem and admired each illustration, I felt a deep and profound connection to them. I was overcome with a feeling of nostalgia. The artwork sparked the same artistic fire in me that I had felt when I was a child. I had (and still have) overwhelming need to create and tell my own stories. (I’ve had this “need” since I was very young, but it made me feel it even more intensely).
The other reason this book feels so special is because of how perfectly it fits with the current season I’m in. Although it is not yet Autumn here, in England, all of the trees, flowers, and other plants are in the process of transforming into their autumnal selves. Every time my husband and I walk through the different parks and gardens around where we live, we see countless birds and squirrels enjoying the many wild berries, plums, and apples which are ripening on every branch and stem. These plants are the very same ones Cecily Mary Baker has gorgeously captured in this autumnal book. The accompanying poems are as sweet, whimsical, and beguiling as the fairies themselves.
This is a book I will continue to treasure for the rest of my life.
September 20, 2019
More Flower Fairies. I really do love these short little poems with their sweet art of a tree and fairy to go with them. I’m so glad they have re-published these works. They don’t need to be lost. I do hope to own the entire collection someday. Great poems, lovely artwork, nature and fairies = perfection.
The niece did read these and she said that it’s all the same as the others. She still liked this book and she gave this 3 stars. We love talking about the design of the clothes and which is our favorite dress or accessary. The nephew read this with us too. He thought it was sort of boring and gave this 2 stars.
The niece did read these and she said that it’s all the same as the others. She still liked this book and she gave this 3 stars. We love talking about the design of the clothes and which is our favorite dress or accessary. The nephew read this with us too. He thought it was sort of boring and gave this 2 stars.
April 29, 2021
Another whimsical volume of verse about plants and the fairies that live among them. Utterly charming with beautiful illustrations, this time the season has moved on to autumn.
The Song of the Crab-Apple Fairy
Crab-apples, Crab-apples, out in the wood,
Little and bitter, yet little and good!
The apples in orchards, so rosy and fine,
Are children of wild little apples like mine.
The branches are laden, and droop to the ground;
The fairy-fruit falls in a circle around;
Now all you good children, come gather them up:
They’ll make you sweet jelly to spread when you sup.
One little apple I’ll catch for myself;
I’ll stew it, and strain it, to store on a shelf
In four or five acorn-cups, locked with a key
In a cupboard of mine at the root of the tree.
My next book: Antic Hay
The Song of the Crab-Apple Fairy
Crab-apples, Crab-apples, out in the wood,
Little and bitter, yet little and good!
The apples in orchards, so rosy and fine,
Are children of wild little apples like mine.
The branches are laden, and droop to the ground;
The fairy-fruit falls in a circle around;
Now all you good children, come gather them up:
They’ll make you sweet jelly to spread when you sup.
One little apple I’ll catch for myself;
I’ll stew it, and strain it, to store on a shelf
In four or five acorn-cups, locked with a key
In a cupboard of mine at the root of the tree.
My next book: Antic Hay
August 13, 2010
I have loved Cicely Mary Barker since my mom first bought my sisters and I a set of "Flower Fairies" books when we were little. The exquisite colors, and meticulous attention to detail make her illustrations some of the most beautiful I have ever seen.
Barker paints flowers, shrubs, trees and fruit, and creates a fairy that represents each, along with a corresponding poem (which gives the reader information about that particular species). "Flower Fairies of the Autumn" is my favorite of her books, probably because it is also my favorite time of the year.
To this day I still buy my sister Kelly a "Flower Fairies" ornament for her Christmas tree...It's a fun tradition I love to share with my family!
Barker paints flowers, shrubs, trees and fruit, and creates a fairy that represents each, along with a corresponding poem (which gives the reader information about that particular species). "Flower Fairies of the Autumn" is my favorite of her books, probably because it is also my favorite time of the year.
To this day I still buy my sister Kelly a "Flower Fairies" ornament for her Christmas tree...It's a fun tradition I love to share with my family!
April 25, 2010
Another where the pictures get five stars - it's so easy to forget that there are words too!
May 24, 2012
By the age of 37 most people have out grown their love of fairies. Not me. I have loved the works of Cicely Mary Barker for as long as I can remember and that is never going to change. The illustrations are absolutely delightful and the poems that accompany them are sweet and quite informative. I learnt quite abit about flowers and plants when I was little from these books. These books are an oasis of loveliness in what can be a harsh world at times. Read these books, look at the pictures and escape.....
October 15, 2011
Loved the poems and loved all the things I learned about nature in autumn. Super illustrations, too!!
May 8, 2013
This book, along with the other Flower Fairies books, were childhood favorites. Sadly I only vaguely remember the poems since it has been years since I picked up the books, but I do remember the artwork.
Autumn is and was my favorite time of the year and these adorable and detailed fairies capture the whimsical feel and beautiful colors of the season of change.
I think I am going to have to revisit my childhood and add these to my collection for the sake of nostalgia if nothing else.
Autumn is and was my favorite time of the year and these adorable and detailed fairies capture the whimsical feel and beautiful colors of the season of change.
I think I am going to have to revisit my childhood and add these to my collection for the sake of nostalgia if nothing else.
September 21, 2015
Love this little book it is so sweet. I am envious of people who can draw. I wish I could draw beautiful pictures and then write about them :)
August 3, 2016
Wonderful, whimsical world of Cicely Mary Barker.
February 6, 2022
Gifted by post from a dear friend in USA, reading the poems out loud and it annoyed the husband. The illustrations are equally precious
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December 19, 2025I feel a cicely barker obsession brewing, watch this space
September 22, 2023
Seasons come and seasons go.
Hello autumn.
Thank you, so.
Beautiful fairies of each season fill my heart with joy and learning. Thank you Cicely Mary Barker.
Hello autumn.
Thank you, so.
Beautiful fairies of each season fill my heart with joy and learning. Thank you Cicely Mary Barker.
July 25, 2022
I remember much of her work when I was a child, and I'm very happy to rediscover her works again!
Pros: perfect for anyone who wants those Beatrix Potter, Cottagecore vibes. Can also be used to help teach plant identification and basic foraging skills. Plus, female illustrators are often erased from art history, so it's great to keep her work alive!
Con: As it was originally penned in 1920's England, the language itself is dated. The author does use what would now be considered a racial slur against the Roma people in one of her poems.
When reading to children, it would be wise to take some time to discuss how language evolves and why this word should not be used.
Pros: perfect for anyone who wants those Beatrix Potter, Cottagecore vibes. Can also be used to help teach plant identification and basic foraging skills. Plus, female illustrators are often erased from art history, so it's great to keep her work alive!
Con: As it was originally penned in 1920's England, the language itself is dated. The author does use what would now be considered a racial slur against the Roma people in one of her poems.
When reading to children, it would be wise to take some time to discuss how language evolves and why this word should not be used.
September 20, 2019
First published in 1926, this is one of Cicely Mary Baker’s earlier Flower Fairy books, and the poems aren’t all as polished as those from later volumes. On each page is a short poem about a particular kind of flower and the fairies that are known to inhabit it. The author illustrates each poem on its facing page with a charming and detailed watercolor of the flower and its fairies. The poems gently instruct children which of the ripe autumn berries and nuts are safe to eat—and which to avoid.
This lovely volume’s pages are petite, a suitable format for youngsters, and appropriate to the diminutive size of the flower fairies themselves. The book will be of particular interest to children whose parents garden or enjoy the outdoors, and for children who study nature at school or extracurricular groups. Some of the autumnal favorites described are oak, rosehip, beechnut, crabapple, and hawthorn fairies, plus the naughty but tempting nightshade fairy.
Both adults and children who enjoy short illustrated poems about nature and its seasonal changes will like this book. Flower Fairies makes suitable bedtime reading for fairy fans of all ages.
This lovely volume’s pages are petite, a suitable format for youngsters, and appropriate to the diminutive size of the flower fairies themselves. The book will be of particular interest to children whose parents garden or enjoy the outdoors, and for children who study nature at school or extracurricular groups. Some of the autumnal favorites described are oak, rosehip, beechnut, crabapple, and hawthorn fairies, plus the naughty but tempting nightshade fairy.
Both adults and children who enjoy short illustrated poems about nature and its seasonal changes will like this book. Flower Fairies makes suitable bedtime reading for fairy fans of all ages.
September 15, 2012
This is a sweet book of lyrical poems. Each page has a short poem and a picture of a fairy with the flower highlighted by the poem. The rhyming lines and the simple words make this a great book to read with children. The illustrations are gorgeous and we learned a little more about different flowers, too.
We really enjoyed reading the poems together. We've also read Flower Fairies of the Spring and Flower Fairies of the Summer and will likely complete the turn of seasons by reading Flower Fairies of the Winter later this year.
We really enjoyed reading the poems together. We've also read Flower Fairies of the Spring and Flower Fairies of the Summer and will likely complete the turn of seasons by reading Flower Fairies of the Winter later this year.
March 24, 2019
Obiously Barker had little choice but to continue on a seasonal theme for her third installment in the flower fairies series, but the Autumn book contains very few actual flowers. Mirroring the season itself, Barker focuses instead on depicting the many plants and trees which produce berries and nuts during the Autumn season. Even though she had moved away from the lighthearted modes of Spring and Summer, her fairies still retain their childlike airs even though their colours have dwindled somewhat. We only have one more season to tackle before Barker moves to collecting fairies in a more esoteric fashion, but we're entering the time where few flowers (if any) truely bloom, so I am curious whether the fairies will truely be of the flowers.
July 11, 2014
It's funny how little things like this stay with you. I covered my room in Flower Fairy photos when I was younger, and memorised the poems. I thoroughly believed fairies existed, and (though in a different way) I still do. This book (and the others of the Flower Fairy series) gave me a bunch of memories and a new way of looking at things - it really helped with my imagination and seeing the world and nature as much more magical as a child, which I think is really important!
November 11, 2017
As always the poems in these books are cute and whimsical and the drawings are absolutely stunning. They fit the season perfectly, and I'm keeping my winter book to read once it's a bit colder and more wintery. I feel like reading these poems in the appropriate season makes me appreciate them even more!
November 11, 2012
Palm-sized, gorgeous illustrations, a delightful little addition to your library! As a child I was always imagining tiny people in the woods, drinking dew from acorn caps. This book takes me back to childhood, which I don't think I've ever outgrown. A very pretty book!
August 8, 2019
A very cute little book of poetry about fairies and flowers. <3
October 5, 2019
What can be said? I doubt anything else could be as pretty and gentle and timeless as these. Now too collect them all 🍂
October 22, 2019
i love every single one of cicely mary barker's flower fairies with my whole heart
December 24, 2021
Short, lovely poems and illustrations of each fairy/fruit. Good for tree/shrub identification purposes.
March 19, 2022
I’ve owned this little book for years, mostly for the lovely illustrations (yes, I am a sucker for botanical fairies). Delighted to realize upon re-reading that the short poems tell you what is edible in the hedgerows, and what birds or butterflies each sustains in the fall, and what to avoid eating, or to use for jam. It’s a whole wealth of gardening and ecological information in a tiny beautiful package. How cool!
January 20, 2025
The Flower Fairies books were an integral part of my childhood and imagination. This volume was my sister’s. I had the Summer Fairies book.
Anyways, these are cute little poetry books. I’m going to check eBay for the rest of the collection- at least for the other 2 seasons.
My favorite lines:
From the Song of The Beechnut Fairy:
“Lovely in them all:
Lovely in the leafless time,
Lovelier in green;
Loveliest with golden leaves,
And the sky between”
Anyways, these are cute little poetry books. I’m going to check eBay for the rest of the collection- at least for the other 2 seasons.
My favorite lines:
From the Song of The Beechnut Fairy:
“Lovely in them all:
Lovely in the leafless time,
Lovelier in green;
Loveliest with golden leaves,
And the sky between”
September 21, 2025
Her artwork is beautiful!
August 15, 2025
3.5
I thought I would like the poems a lot more than I did, I loved some of the fairy designs but most were a bit meh.
I thought I would like the poems a lot more than I did, I loved some of the fairy designs but most were a bit meh.
July 17, 2016
My mother gave this book to me, when I was young. She got it for her birthday, when she was young, as well, so it has passed on for several generations.
This collection of poems written by Cicely Mary Barker is extremely beautiful. Yet simple, but still powerful for one's childish mind. One of the poems ("The Song of the Blackberry Fairy") inspired me to do a song about it. I love when literature can inspire you to other kinds of art!
Blog ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Youtube ~ Spotify ~
This collection of poems written by Cicely Mary Barker is extremely beautiful. Yet simple, but still powerful for one's childish mind. One of the poems ("The Song of the Blackberry Fairy") inspired me to do a song about it. I love when literature can inspire you to other kinds of art!
Blog ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Youtube ~ Spotify ~
July 25, 2023
A beautifully illustrated and well written book for readers of any age. This book is educational in different ways; it teaches about nature and also how to read poetry. The writing itself is very much English (UK), that includes the wording.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews