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Modern Fairies, Dwarves, Goblins, and Other Nasties: A Practical Guide by Miss Edythe McFate
Perhaps you think fairies are figments of the imagination, or even relics of an ancient past. You may even think all fairies are lovely winged creatures, who dance in bluebell fields, granting wishes to anyone who should encounter them.
You would be wrong on all counts.
Fairies are very much alive today, and they are everywhere in our cities, our backyards, and even our kitchen cupboards. Some of them are indeed the sweet-tempered, winged creatures of folklore, but the fairy family also includes goblins, trolls, brownies, and other strange creatures, some of which are revealed to humans in this book for the very first time. While many fairy breeds are harmless, others can be quite nasty or even dangerous.
In this luxuriously illustrated guidebook, preeminent fairy expert Miss Edythe McFate shares her knowledge of the modern fairy world and includes practical advice on matters such as how to tell a good fairy from a bad one, how to spot a “fairy ring,” how to tell the difference between dwarves and trolls (one species is far deadlier than the other), and how to defend against fairies who would do you harm. Also included are eight true cautionary tales about children who have encountered fairies in ultramodern New York City.
You would be wise to read closely, lest you find yourself in your own fairy encounter, for as Miss Edythe McFate reminds us, “Forewarned is forearmed.”
You would be wrong on all counts.
Fairies are very much alive today, and they are everywhere in our cities, our backyards, and even our kitchen cupboards. Some of them are indeed the sweet-tempered, winged creatures of folklore, but the fairy family also includes goblins, trolls, brownies, and other strange creatures, some of which are revealed to humans in this book for the very first time. While many fairy breeds are harmless, others can be quite nasty or even dangerous.
In this luxuriously illustrated guidebook, preeminent fairy expert Miss Edythe McFate shares her knowledge of the modern fairy world and includes practical advice on matters such as how to tell a good fairy from a bad one, how to spot a “fairy ring,” how to tell the difference between dwarves and trolls (one species is far deadlier than the other), and how to defend against fairies who would do you harm. Also included are eight true cautionary tales about children who have encountered fairies in ultramodern New York City.
You would be wise to read closely, lest you find yourself in your own fairy encounter, for as Miss Edythe McFate reminds us, “Forewarned is forearmed.”
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
17 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
About the author
Lesley M.M. Blume
17 books187 followersLesley M. M. Blume is an author, columnist and journalist. She did her undergraduate work at WIlliams College and Oxford University, and took her graduate degree in history from Cambridge University.
She now regularly contributes to Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal and Departures magazine.
She now regularly contributes to Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal and Departures magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 14, 2010
The term “urban fantasy” gets bandied about a bit these days. If you're unfamiliar with it, basically it just boils down to the idea of placing normally pastoral fairies in the big bad city. You get a lot of urban fantasies on the young adult and adult fiction side of things. Gritty streets + fluffy fairies = new genre. It’s strange to think that few have ever extended this idea to the younger ages. Urban fairy picture books are few and far between and chapter books? Even The Spiderwick Chronicles sets its modern day tales of fairies in the countryside rather than in the grimy urban streets. Lesley M.M. Blume aims to change all that. Her newest book delves deep into those aspects of New York City where folks might not expect to find the extraordinary (say, the Lincoln Tunnel) and give the grit some magic. Even the most countrified kid will find something to love about this truly metropolitan fare. It’s a doozy.
When one strays into a foreign land, it is advisable to have a native guide on hand. But what do you take with you when the foreign land in question is your own backyard? For that, you will need to turn to an expert. And the expert in the case of city fairies and their kin is Miss Edythe McFate. With great relish, Miss McFate shares with the reader many helpful tips and tricks on dealing with fairies. And not just any fairies, mind, but the ones that have adapted to large city centers like the heart of New York City itself. In this book, a reader will encounter eight short cautionary tales (some more cautionary than others) and, between those chapters, practical advice regarding fairies and their day-to-day lives. Sometimes funny, sometimes dire, McFate/Blume weaves a new look at fairies in the city and leaves the reader wanting more. I’ve no doubt that a sequel cannot be far behind.
The book sets itself apart from the pack partly because it’s not afraid to be all things to all people. Do you like practical field guides to impossible critters that could not possibly exist? It is that. Or do you prefer short stories about fairies (“and other nasties”) and couldn’t care less about the practical survival techniques such a book might provide? It is that as well. Blume gives you the option of picking and choosing what it is you wish this book to accomplish. Visually, it does not resemble a field guide of any sort. No faux battered cover or mock leather clasp. Inside there aren’t individual boxes or cutaways. Really, just glancing at the chapters a person would be inclined to believe that this was just your average everyday middle grade chapter book. I was rather taken with the unexpected nature of the presentation. While the subtitle certainly does mention that this is “A Practical Guide by Miss Edythe McFate”, how many kids are ardent subtitle readers? This book will therefore come as a bit of a surprise to them. The question then becomes, a good surprise or a bad one?
I say good. Blume is tapping into a Roald Dahl punishment mindset with these tales. Only unlike Dahl, Blume isn’t going to moralize. The thing a person needs to know about fairies is that they don’t deal with justice. Good little children are as likely to suffer at the hands of the fair folk as bad little children. Right from the start you’re sort of given a hint of this with the tale “A Face Made from Flowers”. Though the first story in this book is about a good little girl who does a good little deed, this second tale is about a different good little girl who suffers a bad little fate because of her foolishness. I can see kids getting thrown by this. The story in question is about a plain girl born in a family where beauty is prized above all. Her only comfort comes when she hangs out with the fairies in her backyard in a fairy circle. Eventually, in her misery, she asks the fairies to make her beautiful. The result is not what she may have expected. I can see child readers finishing this story and thinking to themselves, “Wait . . . what? But she was a good kid and her sisters were bad! Why weren’t they turned into something?” For a few they’ll be seriously upset, but for most they’ll be all the more inclined to read the stories. Suddenly, they won’t be able to utterly trust in the author, a fact that makes the reading all the more exciting. When a bad kid can get away with something or a good kid can be punished unexpectedly at any moment, that sort of ratchets up the tension in any short story collection.
There are some inconsistencies in the book, alas, though they are few and far between. The premise is that our narrator, Ms. McFate, has interviewed these children or people these children have known and learned of their tales. Some stories, however, could not possibly have been gathered that way (I know that I’m getting weirdly technical on a children’s book here, but I like internal logic to work). For example, in the story of Daisy, the girl who was turned into a flower, the girl in question was the only one in that story capable of telling her tale. Then she's daisyfied, rendering her mute. Indeed, the narrator goes so far as to even tell us what the girl’s final thoughts were, prior to becoming a blossom. This would work fine if the book had an omniscient narrator, but since the very name of the narrator is in the title, it feels as if the title is trying to have it both ways.
Illustrator David Foote makes for an interesting pairing with Ms. Blume. There are two ways any artist can go with a fairy book. Either you can become hugely precise and delicate or you can go wild and free. Mr. Foote’s work is clearly in the latter category. These are images that owe more to Ronald Searl and Ralph Steadman than Tony DiTerlizzi or Chris Riddell. The image that faces the title page, for example, shows a series of messy extensions bursting forth from the gutter of the book. Are they plant life or long hairy legs belonging to a creature of unspecified species? No idea. Yet they effectively set the tone. These strange mixes of vegetation and hairy fly legs creep and extend over a number of pages inside the book. As for the rest, Foote’s spot illustrations give the tales a comfortable feel. It was clever to make the story about the Algonquin brownies the first since Foote’s images of the brownies are charming. They’re like little Fiorello H. Laguardia’s in their little suits and sharp eyebrows. On the opposite side of the equation is his ugly mermaid, a gal with a face that could stop a clock. You bet. Foote is clearly the right man for this job.
I’ve seen plenty of middle grade fantasy set in New York in my day. Everything from Grand Central ghosts in The Night Tourist to Central Park dragons in Falcon’s Egg to living gargoyles in Stoneflight. I’ve seen the occasional fairy too, I suppose, but books like Delia Sherman’s Changeling couldn’t be more different in tone than Ms. Blume’s. After all, Ms. Blume's is a practical guide above all. There’s also something about the tone of this book that makes you inclined to believe everything it says. I found myself almost wanting to take notes about placing coins on the floor to detect good and bad fairies and when it is appropriate to wear your clothes inside out. Ms. Blume has the ability to make you believe in the impossible. No small feat for a book of medium size. Fun and original.
For ages 9-12.
When one strays into a foreign land, it is advisable to have a native guide on hand. But what do you take with you when the foreign land in question is your own backyard? For that, you will need to turn to an expert. And the expert in the case of city fairies and their kin is Miss Edythe McFate. With great relish, Miss McFate shares with the reader many helpful tips and tricks on dealing with fairies. And not just any fairies, mind, but the ones that have adapted to large city centers like the heart of New York City itself. In this book, a reader will encounter eight short cautionary tales (some more cautionary than others) and, between those chapters, practical advice regarding fairies and their day-to-day lives. Sometimes funny, sometimes dire, McFate/Blume weaves a new look at fairies in the city and leaves the reader wanting more. I’ve no doubt that a sequel cannot be far behind.
The book sets itself apart from the pack partly because it’s not afraid to be all things to all people. Do you like practical field guides to impossible critters that could not possibly exist? It is that. Or do you prefer short stories about fairies (“and other nasties”) and couldn’t care less about the practical survival techniques such a book might provide? It is that as well. Blume gives you the option of picking and choosing what it is you wish this book to accomplish. Visually, it does not resemble a field guide of any sort. No faux battered cover or mock leather clasp. Inside there aren’t individual boxes or cutaways. Really, just glancing at the chapters a person would be inclined to believe that this was just your average everyday middle grade chapter book. I was rather taken with the unexpected nature of the presentation. While the subtitle certainly does mention that this is “A Practical Guide by Miss Edythe McFate”, how many kids are ardent subtitle readers? This book will therefore come as a bit of a surprise to them. The question then becomes, a good surprise or a bad one?
I say good. Blume is tapping into a Roald Dahl punishment mindset with these tales. Only unlike Dahl, Blume isn’t going to moralize. The thing a person needs to know about fairies is that they don’t deal with justice. Good little children are as likely to suffer at the hands of the fair folk as bad little children. Right from the start you’re sort of given a hint of this with the tale “A Face Made from Flowers”. Though the first story in this book is about a good little girl who does a good little deed, this second tale is about a different good little girl who suffers a bad little fate because of her foolishness. I can see kids getting thrown by this. The story in question is about a plain girl born in a family where beauty is prized above all. Her only comfort comes when she hangs out with the fairies in her backyard in a fairy circle. Eventually, in her misery, she asks the fairies to make her beautiful. The result is not what she may have expected. I can see child readers finishing this story and thinking to themselves, “Wait . . . what? But she was a good kid and her sisters were bad! Why weren’t they turned into something?” For a few they’ll be seriously upset, but for most they’ll be all the more inclined to read the stories. Suddenly, they won’t be able to utterly trust in the author, a fact that makes the reading all the more exciting. When a bad kid can get away with something or a good kid can be punished unexpectedly at any moment, that sort of ratchets up the tension in any short story collection.
There are some inconsistencies in the book, alas, though they are few and far between. The premise is that our narrator, Ms. McFate, has interviewed these children or people these children have known and learned of their tales. Some stories, however, could not possibly have been gathered that way (I know that I’m getting weirdly technical on a children’s book here, but I like internal logic to work). For example, in the story of Daisy, the girl who was turned into a flower, the girl in question was the only one in that story capable of telling her tale. Then she's daisyfied, rendering her mute. Indeed, the narrator goes so far as to even tell us what the girl’s final thoughts were, prior to becoming a blossom. This would work fine if the book had an omniscient narrator, but since the very name of the narrator is in the title, it feels as if the title is trying to have it both ways.
Illustrator David Foote makes for an interesting pairing with Ms. Blume. There are two ways any artist can go with a fairy book. Either you can become hugely precise and delicate or you can go wild and free. Mr. Foote’s work is clearly in the latter category. These are images that owe more to Ronald Searl and Ralph Steadman than Tony DiTerlizzi or Chris Riddell. The image that faces the title page, for example, shows a series of messy extensions bursting forth from the gutter of the book. Are they plant life or long hairy legs belonging to a creature of unspecified species? No idea. Yet they effectively set the tone. These strange mixes of vegetation and hairy fly legs creep and extend over a number of pages inside the book. As for the rest, Foote’s spot illustrations give the tales a comfortable feel. It was clever to make the story about the Algonquin brownies the first since Foote’s images of the brownies are charming. They’re like little Fiorello H. Laguardia’s in their little suits and sharp eyebrows. On the opposite side of the equation is his ugly mermaid, a gal with a face that could stop a clock. You bet. Foote is clearly the right man for this job.
I’ve seen plenty of middle grade fantasy set in New York in my day. Everything from Grand Central ghosts in The Night Tourist to Central Park dragons in Falcon’s Egg to living gargoyles in Stoneflight. I’ve seen the occasional fairy too, I suppose, but books like Delia Sherman’s Changeling couldn’t be more different in tone than Ms. Blume’s. After all, Ms. Blume's is a practical guide above all. There’s also something about the tone of this book that makes you inclined to believe everything it says. I found myself almost wanting to take notes about placing coins on the floor to detect good and bad fairies and when it is appropriate to wear your clothes inside out. Ms. Blume has the ability to make you believe in the impossible. No small feat for a book of medium size. Fun and original.
For ages 9-12.
October 12, 2015
An important book to have on hand for easy reference when encountering (or trying to avoid) a plethora of faeries. The writing was absolutely enchanting and offered helpful tips and insightful anecdotes.
September 28, 2025
My mom got me this book when I was ten and it has remained unread on my book shelf for the last 15 years. The last few weeks have been hard and I needed a drastic change in pace from other books I’ve been reading. I liked the book overall, though I disagree with some of the research. Despite being a kids book, the short stories were well written and really dark. In one of them, an 8 year old girl who feels ugly wants to be beautiful like a flower. Some evil fairies egg her on and essentially she tries to kill herself by eating packets and packets of flower seeds. When this doesn’t work, the fairies kill her by turning her into a flower that dies in the winter. Damn.
November 21, 2010
The boys liked this more than I did. And I think reading this to an urban daughter might be even more of a hit, although toward the end the tales get a little more scatalogical, and somehow boy-flavored.
Blume is trying to create quasi-plausible refuge for fairies and filk in the modern world, and does a credible job. Her language tops out her humor, but both are welcome, and Foote's illustrations came at just the right time to help sustain the boys through the flowery prose patches, and added just the right dark macabre vibe which is crucial for fairy tales in my Grimm opinion.
Also nice : the underlying morales, never quite thicken into the molassy morasses that other books do when dealing with cautionary tales. You know, humans not respecting the rule of sprites, goblins and such.
I think I was just lucky to find this in the new stack at the local library, but probably t'was the curse of some brownie.
Blume is trying to create quasi-plausible refuge for fairies and filk in the modern world, and does a credible job. Her language tops out her humor, but both are welcome, and Foote's illustrations came at just the right time to help sustain the boys through the flowery prose patches, and added just the right dark macabre vibe which is crucial for fairy tales in my Grimm opinion.
Also nice : the underlying morales, never quite thicken into the molassy morasses that other books do when dealing with cautionary tales. You know, humans not respecting the rule of sprites, goblins and such.
I think I was just lucky to find this in the new stack at the local library, but probably t'was the curse of some brownie.
December 19, 2014
I got this book today, and I finished it in one afternoon. It's awesome.
What I like about it is that it managed to do what not many "fairy genre" books do at all: While it deals with cute and whimsical imaginary creatures and children's stories, it goes to some seriously dark places, and doesn't shy away from sad endings. I loved all the little details and observations that show how sensitive the author is to the essence of fairy lore. Instead of relying solely on folklore, she built her own little New York City fairy world, and it rings true as a continuation of many older traditions. The stories are great, the language is eloquent and entertaining.
Here is a book that doesn't think children are dumb, and doesn't aim to keep them from all things bad.
Some fairies are bad. And that's okay. There are ways to protect yourself from them, and ways to befriend them.
Lovely book, definitely worth the read.
What I like about it is that it managed to do what not many "fairy genre" books do at all: While it deals with cute and whimsical imaginary creatures and children's stories, it goes to some seriously dark places, and doesn't shy away from sad endings. I loved all the little details and observations that show how sensitive the author is to the essence of fairy lore. Instead of relying solely on folklore, she built her own little New York City fairy world, and it rings true as a continuation of many older traditions. The stories are great, the language is eloquent and entertaining.
Here is a book that doesn't think children are dumb, and doesn't aim to keep them from all things bad.
Some fairies are bad. And that's okay. There are ways to protect yourself from them, and ways to befriend them.
Lovely book, definitely worth the read.
December 5, 2011
When was the last time you lost yourself in a book? I must confess, I found the voice and story so compelling I didn't realize this was a children's book.
(Please...I am a Pisces with Mercury in Pisces so I am excused from reality checks.) Spell binding. Story telling at its best. A book for anyone of any age enchanted by faery tales! The history of faeries very organically entwined. Escapism extraordinaire. And the illustrations are magical.
(Please...I am a Pisces with Mercury in Pisces so I am excused from reality checks.) Spell binding. Story telling at its best. A book for anyone of any age enchanted by faery tales! The history of faeries very organically entwined. Escapism extraordinaire. And the illustrations are magical.
September 19, 2010
Perhaps you think fairies are figments of the imagination, or even relics of an ancient past. You may even think all fairies are lovely winged creatures, who dance in bluebell fields, granting wishes to anyone who should encounter them.
You would be wrong on all counts.
Fairies are very much alive today, and they are everywhere—in our cities, our backyards, and even our kitchen cupboards. Some of them are indeed the sweet-tempered, winged creatures of folklore, but the fairy family also includes goblins, trolls, brownies, and other strange creatures, some of which are revealed to humans in this book for the very first time. While many fairy breeds are harmless, others can be quite nasty or even dangerous. Good Reads
I would best describe this book as Faeries Gone Dark! This book is a manual of sorts. It gives you lots of useful information like:
How to tell a Good Fair from a Bad One
Music and Faeries
Why Fairies Covet Human Babies
Why You Shouldn't Trust Fairy Godmothers
There are also 8 cautionary Tales describing severeal Human/Faerie encounters. As a bonus all these stories take place in New York City
Illustrator David Foote pictures give this book a wondrful spooky feeling. He varies his art a little each story, showcasing his talents and giving each character a different feel. Here are a few of my favorite stories from the book:
Beyond the Brass Doors in the Lincoln Tunnel
Young George and his family take weekend getaways that often take them through the crowded Lincoln Tunnel. Once while sitting in traffic George sees a mysterios little man open one of the many utility doors that line the inside of the Tunnel. His parents cant see the small creature like George who is gifted with the "Fairy Sight". Stuck once again in traffic on the following weekend George sees another little person at the door and jumps from his parents car and follows him in the tunnel. These little men are actually Dwarves and they are tending a very large garden deep into the earth. These aren't ordinary trees though, their fruits are actually Rubies. Greed of course consumes George as he tries to runaway with the largest ruby. A very cautionary tale about the price one pays for stealing from the Dwarves. I likedDavid's illustrartion of George in this book he is spoiled and impatient and his pudgy frame and scowling eyes really match the writers discription of the character.
Unlikely Performances at Carnegie Hall
In this story we are introduced to the Libretto a music faery. Of course they inhabit Carnegie Hall, a mecca of fine musicians. The Libretto however demand excellence in music and respect. When musical prodigies and spoiled brats, The Destinatus Twins come to the hall an immense showdown commences. The twins have "The Sight " as well so they don't fall prey to the normal Faery tricks others have succumbed to.The battle rages before a stunned audiece as the twins fight the Libretto while still putting on a world class performance.
I had never heard of the Libretto faeries before this story was lot's of fun as the spoiled girls are taught a lesson.
The Number One Train
"We must not look at goblin men, we must not buy their fruits: Who knows upon what soil they fed Their hungry, thirst roots"
This story is about Goblins. While waiting for the train, young musician Felix notices a very curious rat collecting strange items littering the subway floor. Later he is confronted and held captive by a group of Goblins. He finds six other children there as well, all captives from different time periods all forced to serve the goblins. Felix is bought to entertain them with his guitar music.The other children are resigned to their fate but Felix tries to find a way to escape. When he notices a specific song (Stair Way To Heaven ;) actually freezes the Golins in place he attempts a daring escape. I enjoyed this story it had some dark creepy bits and you really root for Felix and the other kids to escape.
The Ballad of Big Edd
This one is about a mermaid, actually a Lorelei. Lorelei are known for leading sailors to their dath with their haunting song. Big Edd a boat captain with whom young Imogene gets rides to Ney York with, comes across one of them. She is not a great singer and is entranced by Edd. Imogenen not realising what she is tries to help her get Ed's attention not realising the danger she is putting them all in. Theis story was a little humorous as Imogene tries to discover what makes women attracive to men, Edd still in's able to see the Lorelei and it creates a little riff in their frienship.Finally Imogene brings a record player with a beautiful song for the Lorelei to memorise.It succeeeds more than Imogen ever thought. This story was a little sad and creepy, beautiful illistrations.
Overall a beautiful volume with fun, creepy, Faerie lore.
You would be wrong on all counts.
Fairies are very much alive today, and they are everywhere—in our cities, our backyards, and even our kitchen cupboards. Some of them are indeed the sweet-tempered, winged creatures of folklore, but the fairy family also includes goblins, trolls, brownies, and other strange creatures, some of which are revealed to humans in this book for the very first time. While many fairy breeds are harmless, others can be quite nasty or even dangerous. Good Reads
I would best describe this book as Faeries Gone Dark! This book is a manual of sorts. It gives you lots of useful information like:
How to tell a Good Fair from a Bad One
Music and Faeries
Why Fairies Covet Human Babies
Why You Shouldn't Trust Fairy Godmothers
There are also 8 cautionary Tales describing severeal Human/Faerie encounters. As a bonus all these stories take place in New York City
Illustrator David Foote pictures give this book a wondrful spooky feeling. He varies his art a little each story, showcasing his talents and giving each character a different feel. Here are a few of my favorite stories from the book:
Beyond the Brass Doors in the Lincoln Tunnel
Young George and his family take weekend getaways that often take them through the crowded Lincoln Tunnel. Once while sitting in traffic George sees a mysterios little man open one of the many utility doors that line the inside of the Tunnel. His parents cant see the small creature like George who is gifted with the "Fairy Sight". Stuck once again in traffic on the following weekend George sees another little person at the door and jumps from his parents car and follows him in the tunnel. These little men are actually Dwarves and they are tending a very large garden deep into the earth. These aren't ordinary trees though, their fruits are actually Rubies. Greed of course consumes George as he tries to runaway with the largest ruby. A very cautionary tale about the price one pays for stealing from the Dwarves. I likedDavid's illustrartion of George in this book he is spoiled and impatient and his pudgy frame and scowling eyes really match the writers discription of the character.
Unlikely Performances at Carnegie Hall
In this story we are introduced to the Libretto a music faery. Of course they inhabit Carnegie Hall, a mecca of fine musicians. The Libretto however demand excellence in music and respect. When musical prodigies and spoiled brats, The Destinatus Twins come to the hall an immense showdown commences. The twins have "The Sight " as well so they don't fall prey to the normal Faery tricks others have succumbed to.The battle rages before a stunned audiece as the twins fight the Libretto while still putting on a world class performance.
I had never heard of the Libretto faeries before this story was lot's of fun as the spoiled girls are taught a lesson.
The Number One Train
"We must not look at goblin men, we must not buy their fruits: Who knows upon what soil they fed Their hungry, thirst roots"
This story is about Goblins. While waiting for the train, young musician Felix notices a very curious rat collecting strange items littering the subway floor. Later he is confronted and held captive by a group of Goblins. He finds six other children there as well, all captives from different time periods all forced to serve the goblins. Felix is bought to entertain them with his guitar music.The other children are resigned to their fate but Felix tries to find a way to escape. When he notices a specific song (Stair Way To Heaven ;) actually freezes the Golins in place he attempts a daring escape. I enjoyed this story it had some dark creepy bits and you really root for Felix and the other kids to escape.
The Ballad of Big Edd
This one is about a mermaid, actually a Lorelei. Lorelei are known for leading sailors to their dath with their haunting song. Big Edd a boat captain with whom young Imogene gets rides to Ney York with, comes across one of them. She is not a great singer and is entranced by Edd. Imogenen not realising what she is tries to help her get Ed's attention not realising the danger she is putting them all in. Theis story was a little humorous as Imogene tries to discover what makes women attracive to men, Edd still in's able to see the Lorelei and it creates a little riff in their frienship.Finally Imogene brings a record player with a beautiful song for the Lorelei to memorise.It succeeeds more than Imogen ever thought. This story was a little sad and creepy, beautiful illistrations.
Overall a beautiful volume with fun, creepy, Faerie lore.
October 12, 2010
WARNING: Fairies are not sweet creatures who live in flowers and grant wishes. Pixies aren’t cute like Tinkerbell. Dwarves may be miners, but they aren’t about to make friends with a sweet lady visitor. In Lesley M.M. Blume‘s latest book for young readers, MODERN FAIRIES, DWARVES GOBLINS, AND OTHER NASTIES, we learn all about the danger that is the world of fairies, and many of the children who have — for good or bad — wound up involved in the fairy world.
Part short story collection and part field guide, MODERN FAIRIES is delightfully dark. Narrated by Miss Edythe McFate, the book takes place in the various boroughs of New York City — from a Brooklyn back yard to Central Park to the Lincoln tunnel, it seems that fairies have migrated to New York from all over the world, just like the people who inhabit one of our most diverse cities. This would have been very useful to me when I lived in New York, a few years ago. I always knew there was a reason I disliked the Lincoln Tunnel — dwarves have their secret underground mines there. Should a child enter these mines, through one of the many, mysterious brass doors lining the tunnel, he absolutely shouldn’t try to steal from the dwarves. This can only lead to his demise. And while I didn’t have a back yard when I lived in Brooklyn, it is apparent that fairy rings do occur in this part of the city, and they are certainly something to watch out for. Flower fairies aren’t necessarily the kindly folk you’d suspect — and you should always be careful what you wish for.
I loved the story of the nasty Destinatus twins who played perfect piano, only to be foiled by resident libretto fairies at Carnegie hall. And of course the story of a local stable whose horses were being driven to exhaustion by nasty pixies. Beautifully illustrated by David Foote, the book are peppered with cautionary tales and advice — do you know how to tell a good fairy from bad? All you really need is a penny, but you’ll have to read MODERN FAIRIES to find out what to do with it. Did you know that fairies are oddly obsessed with spoons? Or that they covet human babies? Did you know that there are many different kinds of mermaids, and that they are mostly bad news? Or that goblins keep children as slaves? Lots of important information, especially if you live in New York.
Easily compared to the SPIDERWICK series, but awesome in its own right, this fun, fast read is one of those elusive books that many will call “perfect for all ages.” And I tend to agree — children and adults alike will be enchanted by Blume‘s latest. Though I must warn you: once you pick up this volume, you’ll be looking at your world through fairy-aware eyes. Which could be a very scary thing!
Part short story collection and part field guide, MODERN FAIRIES is delightfully dark. Narrated by Miss Edythe McFate, the book takes place in the various boroughs of New York City — from a Brooklyn back yard to Central Park to the Lincoln tunnel, it seems that fairies have migrated to New York from all over the world, just like the people who inhabit one of our most diverse cities. This would have been very useful to me when I lived in New York, a few years ago. I always knew there was a reason I disliked the Lincoln Tunnel — dwarves have their secret underground mines there. Should a child enter these mines, through one of the many, mysterious brass doors lining the tunnel, he absolutely shouldn’t try to steal from the dwarves. This can only lead to his demise. And while I didn’t have a back yard when I lived in Brooklyn, it is apparent that fairy rings do occur in this part of the city, and they are certainly something to watch out for. Flower fairies aren’t necessarily the kindly folk you’d suspect — and you should always be careful what you wish for.
I loved the story of the nasty Destinatus twins who played perfect piano, only to be foiled by resident libretto fairies at Carnegie hall. And of course the story of a local stable whose horses were being driven to exhaustion by nasty pixies. Beautifully illustrated by David Foote, the book are peppered with cautionary tales and advice — do you know how to tell a good fairy from bad? All you really need is a penny, but you’ll have to read MODERN FAIRIES to find out what to do with it. Did you know that fairies are oddly obsessed with spoons? Or that they covet human babies? Did you know that there are many different kinds of mermaids, and that they are mostly bad news? Or that goblins keep children as slaves? Lots of important information, especially if you live in New York.
Easily compared to the SPIDERWICK series, but awesome in its own right, this fun, fast read is one of those elusive books that many will call “perfect for all ages.” And I tend to agree — children and adults alike will be enchanted by Blume‘s latest. Though I must warn you: once you pick up this volume, you’ll be looking at your world through fairy-aware eyes. Which could be a very scary thing!
January 2, 2015
Part short story collection, part "encyclopedia," this dark, atmospheric work is good, grim fun. The tales most often don't relate lessons and it's hard to find a moral--though the warnings and advice are plentiful--as the focus is on portraying the dark natures and infinite varieties of fairy-folk for readers dwelling in modern urban areas like New York City, where the book's stories take place. It's a book that encourages imagination by demonstration, and its young audience should find both sinister delight in exploring Blume's inventions and inspiration for their own fertile fancies.
If I have a hesitation, it's that this seems to have sprung almost entirely from Blume's head without consideration for the considerable folktales and fairy lore already in existence, so those already familiar with or interested in exploring the topic further won't find much context or consistency for linking her fairy world to any other.
Foote's vague, suggestive artwork that decorates every page enhances the book's creepiness factor tremendously. It's amazingly effective.
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When a man wants the soul of something but has no soul or conscience himself, he's almost always impossible to stop. You have to sacrifice some of your own soul to beat him, which means that he wins by that much more.
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There are many different kinds of beauty in the world. Some beauty is very unusual and can even be scary. Most people don't understand that.
If I have a hesitation, it's that this seems to have sprung almost entirely from Blume's head without consideration for the considerable folktales and fairy lore already in existence, so those already familiar with or interested in exploring the topic further won't find much context or consistency for linking her fairy world to any other.
Foote's vague, suggestive artwork that decorates every page enhances the book's creepiness factor tremendously. It's amazingly effective.
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When a man wants the soul of something but has no soul or conscience himself, he's almost always impossible to stop. You have to sacrifice some of your own soul to beat him, which means that he wins by that much more.
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There are many different kinds of beauty in the world. Some beauty is very unusual and can even be scary. Most people don't understand that.
September 21, 2010
Yay, New York fairies! What could have ended up a syrupy sweet retelling of fairies in the Big Apple, instead becomes a kind of handbook for kids wishing to survive their encounters with the metropolitan magical. Miss Edythe McFate collects a series of cautionary tales, warning children of the beauties and dangers found in your everyday fairydom. Not all the kids in these stories survive, but that's part of what makes it interesting. This is essential Charlie and the Chocolate Factory only with ugly mermaids and Barry Manilow loving goblins instead. Very fun reading. Worth a gander. B
May 11, 2012
I thought this was going to be just an informational book with lots of facts (insomuch as information on fairies, dwarves, goblins, etc. can be called facts, of course!) I was pleasantly surprised to find that besides the facts, the book contains 8 short stories. Each one of these stories is used to illustrate a fact or warning that has just been mentioned, and the stories are often deliciously creepy. This was a good bit of fun. Frankly, you could skip the "facts" and just read the stories, but I think the facts and stories intermixed was a clever idea and really came together well.
April 11, 2014
Have you ever thought of getting a book that gives you this intriguing feeling by just looking at the cover? Well, that's what happened to this one and I have to say that it was a really great journey. I got this book two or so years ago and I found it just lying on my bookshelf. I read it again and this glorious child-like feeling came back. I love this book. The author gives you this feeling of mystery and excitement that keeps you captivated. The author makes you take a second chance in the world you're living in, even though it's not real. It's just bloody magnificent.
September 16, 2017
I was reading this to my daughter at bedtime. She liked the book but wanted to move onto something else, but I was so in love with how it was written that I finished it on my own. Super fun and written in such an engaging and sly way that it *almost* makes you think it's real. (My daughter did think this book was non-fiction.)
April 7, 2014
Amusing light read about the perils of interacting with mythical creatures. I loved the modern take on so many faery land creatures... Not really one to read to a three year old, but it was cute.
October 8, 2014
This book is simply charming. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to all my fairy loving friends!
December 1, 2019
When I was young I judged a book by its cover. If were ten years old again, I would have passed over this book based on the unremarkable book cover and illustrations sprinkled throughout its pages.
Too bad, because I think it was delicious fodder for children's imaginations. Those who pass over it because of its black and white cover are truly missing out on very colorful profiles of creatures from the fairy realm, like the Brownies who haunt the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan because it was built over a magnificent oak tree which they dwelt in.
I read these stories aloud to my middle-grade children and they were enraptured for at least a half-hour every night, paying unusual attention to every word that I read as quickly as possible to satisfy their curiosity. But to be clear, it was the story - the words - which cast a spell over them; not the pictures. They didn't care for the illustrations at all.
These stories are unlike any fairy tales they have ever encountered. The storylines are original and fresh, straight out of Lesley Blume's fantastical mind, and they are set in modern times which is a welcome departure from the traditional canon of fairytales set in medieval or early modern times.
Myths of fairies and dwarves stretch back as far as ancient times when the world was still unscientific, steeped in superstition, young and naive. The world was a mysterious place and spirits seemed to animate the forests and mountains. This book conjured the very same magic back into the 21st century. And it did it in a non-sickening, intelligent, and highly entertaining way. There was never any hint of Disney, no suggestion of Tinkerbell or any of those popular fairy books written en masse to please the middle-grade readers who love the formulaic plots and predictable, saccharine, moral endings. My children and I looked forward to every reading, much like diners at a fine meal looking forward to the next course. This book was a pleasure for the kids to listen to, and for me to read aloud.
The language was boisterous and unapologetic, much like Roald Dahl's in Matilda. Or even better, The Witches. You get the sense that Lesley Blume enjoyed herself immensely cooking up these tales, adding dashes of fantastical, gory, frightening details that made my youngest afraid to sleep at night. At one point, I even caught my oldest saying, "Wait, what if this is all true? It sounds so real."
These stories are a true gem! Five stars for superb read-aloud pleasure.
Too bad, because I think it was delicious fodder for children's imaginations. Those who pass over it because of its black and white cover are truly missing out on very colorful profiles of creatures from the fairy realm, like the Brownies who haunt the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan because it was built over a magnificent oak tree which they dwelt in.
I read these stories aloud to my middle-grade children and they were enraptured for at least a half-hour every night, paying unusual attention to every word that I read as quickly as possible to satisfy their curiosity. But to be clear, it was the story - the words - which cast a spell over them; not the pictures. They didn't care for the illustrations at all.
These stories are unlike any fairy tales they have ever encountered. The storylines are original and fresh, straight out of Lesley Blume's fantastical mind, and they are set in modern times which is a welcome departure from the traditional canon of fairytales set in medieval or early modern times.
Myths of fairies and dwarves stretch back as far as ancient times when the world was still unscientific, steeped in superstition, young and naive. The world was a mysterious place and spirits seemed to animate the forests and mountains. This book conjured the very same magic back into the 21st century. And it did it in a non-sickening, intelligent, and highly entertaining way. There was never any hint of Disney, no suggestion of Tinkerbell or any of those popular fairy books written en masse to please the middle-grade readers who love the formulaic plots and predictable, saccharine, moral endings. My children and I looked forward to every reading, much like diners at a fine meal looking forward to the next course. This book was a pleasure for the kids to listen to, and for me to read aloud.
The language was boisterous and unapologetic, much like Roald Dahl's in Matilda. Or even better, The Witches. You get the sense that Lesley Blume enjoyed herself immensely cooking up these tales, adding dashes of fantastical, gory, frightening details that made my youngest afraid to sleep at night. At one point, I even caught my oldest saying, "Wait, what if this is all true? It sounds so real."
These stories are a true gem! Five stars for superb read-aloud pleasure.
January 27, 2023
Such a nostalgic book for me. I remember reading it in like elementary school when I was obsessed with the spiderwick chronicles. Although I don’t remember half of the short stories. I suspect I never actually finished this book, because the first 50 pages or so I remember vividly!
October 25, 2020
An interesting and amusing take on fairies in America.
December 26, 2024
Cute. I will share these stories with my little one.
December 12, 2012
This is an amusing "guide" to fairies and other related species. Miss Edythe McFate (a.k.a Lesley Blume), well-versed in the art of studying fairies, tells the reader everything you need to know. There are also some stories about urban fairies, set in New York. I thought that was kind of interesting; you generally don't think of fairies as living in the city. Of course, you don't generally think of dwarves and goblins as fairies either. In this one, Lesley Blume takes a new look at "fairies"; there's more to them than just dancing in flower-filled meadows. There are interesting illustrations by David Foote. I would hesitate to call them beautiful though. Lesley Blume is the author of Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters, The Rising Star of Rusty Nail, and Tennyson, all of which I enjoyed. I liked this one too; it wasn't great, but it's good for a couple of hours of entertainment. It reminded me a bit of the Wizardology Books.
February 20, 2011
Recommend this cautiously as it is quite a lot darker than I thought it would be. Blume takes on the fairies of New York in this guide to the little people, punctuated with somewhat disturbing anecdotes about what happens to kids who mess around with the land of Faerie. Well written and clever but don't expect Cicely Barker's flower fairies. I didn't much care for the art, which looked like an amateurish 1975. 5th grade and up.
January 9, 2012
I loved this. My favorite sections were why you shouldn't trust fairy godmothers and fairies and animals. A couple of cute lines are, "Fairies love scarecrows. They think they're hilarious," and "Long life in a dog is another sign that it has been adopted by a fairy, who probably cast a long-life enchantment over the animal when it was a puppy." The best part is the sweet eco-concious ending about the future of fairies.
November 23, 2010
I got this book as an ARC at ALA. I have to say the title is completely true with the aspect of modern fairies and other nasties. Srsly, this was a lot darker than I imagined it would be. I found myself skipping through a lot of the "practical guide" stuff to get to the actual stories. I loved the first story about the fairies at the
February 15, 2011
This book is fantastic! Give it to any child w/ an imagination, but read it first to know the things that happen, because part out the fun of the book is all o the little things that you pick up reading it & you will have to have an in to keep up w/ the young reader who will be looking for signs. I know of several of my friend's children that I will be buying this for, it is worth it.
March 13, 2011
This book is both funny, stupid and weird all at once. Funny becuse of the lessons. Stupid because of the faries. Weird because, well, it is weird. The last story is bittersweet, because there is the secret at the end. Sad, but supposedly true. This book is great for all ages. I really love this book.
October 11, 2010
Modern fairy tales with lovely illustrations. The book is interspersed with stories and essays. The stories range from charming to a little dark. The essays are tongue in cheek and uniformly entertaining.
March 18, 2011
I was happily reading this book. Laughing, smiling, enjoying it. I thought my daughter would really, really love it. Big mistake. Oh...
I was right. She loved it. But, I haven't ever been able to get it back from her and actually finish the book.
Got it back finally. We both loved it.
I was right. She loved it. But, I haven't ever been able to get it back from her and actually finish the book.
Got it back finally. We both loved it.
May 30, 2011
This is a fun and entertaining guide to creatures that go bump, bump, bump in the night. Loved the voice, loved the concept. I think I liked the stories a bit better than the "guidebook" information; it worked nicely to have the two together.
July 11, 2014
I enjoyed the illustrations but I guess I was expecting something else...something with a little more plot--if not more plot, then a more engaging writing style. This book was an ok read for a plane but I imagine that I will forget it as soon as I return it to the library.
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