Laura Amy Schlitz

Angela Barrett

When Flory the night fairy's wings are accidentally broken and she cannot fly, she has to learn to do everything differently.

The Night Fairy

Sarah Sammis

The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz and illustrated by Angela Barrett begins with Flory, a young night fairy, losing her wings. She's left vulnerable to whatever predators might be interested in her.

In order to survive, Flory needs to adapt. The first thing she must do is learn how to be a day fairy. This part reminded me of Yvaine from Neil Gaiman's Stardust being kept awake by Tristran after she falls to Earth. Both characters show their strength and ingenuity through how they adapt, although neither does it with much happiness.

Flory though isn't alone. She's in a garden full of different creatures. Most of the book is how she comes to know her new garden home and the other animals that live there. Schlitz descriptions and characterizations of the other animals has a similar naturalism to the cats in The Cats of Roxville Station by Jean Craighead George.

Angela Bartlett's beautiful illustrations make The Night Fairy something special. They are the right blend of realism and fantasy. They bring forth the creatures' personalities while still making them recognizable backyard creatures.

Jessica Nottingham

An absolute gem of a book! For all parents out there who have girls obsessed with fairies, this book is a must read. For those of you who have young ones that haven't entered the fairy obsession stage yet, I suggest you snatch this up now. Flory is such a different type of fairy, such a strong and positive role model. I truly wish that this book had been around when I was younger.

Flory, our heroine, is a night fairy that looses her wings at the beginning of the story. Forced to live in a human or "giant" garden, Flory must learn to fend for herself. She learns to survive by making a home in a bird house, befriending the various gigantic animals around her, and by just being brave. Flory definitely has moxie! She is not afraid to take on spiders, or any other creatures larger than her. Young girls will find a lot to love in this spitfire of a fairy. This story is gorgeously written and packs quite a punch in the action department without being too scary. I see this as a bedtime story that will have the recipient hanging on every word, and probably dreaming about it as well.

My absolute favorite part of the book would have to be the illustrations. It is no surprise that the writing is beautiful, but it is truly the illustrations that push the story over into something that will stick with you long after you finish it. Elegant and sumptuous, the pictures in this book really show young readers what Flory's world is like. From images of her meeting with a squirrel five times her size, to soft and lovely images of her creating her own clothes, the illustrations really pull the story together. At 26 years old I didn't think I could fall in love with picture books anymore. The Night Fairy has definitely proven me wrong.

I highly recommend this book to all readers, young and old alike! Heaven knows that we are always looking for strong and positive role models for our young girls. I think that is what you will find in Flory if you give The Night Fairy a chance. Whether read as a bedtime story, or devoured by an older reader in small pieces, this book is sure to draw you in. To really sum it up, it's simply pure magic in the form of words and pictures.

The Night Fairy

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