Children’s books – just the overall thought floods me with so many memories. Sitting propped up in bed, or on the library floor, with a book too big to fit in my lap, turning the pages and soaking in each beautifully illustrated page. A few still hold a special place in my heart.
Fairy Foals, the Journey of a Magical Garden, by Suzanah is sure to be such a book. And more. Written in journal entries, it takes us on the mystical journey through the garden Suzanah inherits from her grandmother. The story begins when she receives a small wooden box, thirty-five years after her grandmother’s death. Inside the box is a key to her grandmother’s old guest house and ten acres of gardens she so fondly remembers. She begins to make a life there, and eventually wanders out to the garden with her sketchbook.
While spending time there one morning, looking for something to sketch, she has a sense of being watched. When she returns to the garden it is with a more careful eye, and this time she discovers the magic. Captured in a spider’s web is a tiny brown horse, with wings! As she begins to take an even closer look, she realizes the garden is alive with these mystical creatures. The reader joins her in discovering the uniqueness of each tiny fairy foal – beautiful little creatures that play with butterflies, eat geranium leaves, bask in the sun. Each one is the size of a dandelion flower, constantly on the move and difficult to sketch. As the reader becomes acquainted with Little Brown, Fuzz, Fly, Snowflake, Dancer, Chaser, Pixie, and Sapphire, they also are given a glimpse of the beauty of nature itself – the intricacies of a butterfly’s wing, the art of nest-building, a star-filled night sky, dew drops on leaves that provide an afternoon drink, and leaves dancing in the wind.
The underlying story, of Little Brown’s difficulty keeping up with the other fairy foals, his perseverance and final triumph, will be an encouragement to small children who may struggle to keep up with older siblings or other children they spend time with. Nothing seems to come easily to Little Brown, the underdog / hero of the book, and isn’t it good to root for the underdog, then see him / her achieve what was thought impossible!
If the story was not enough, and it is, the illustrations are truly beautiful – a mixture of pencil drawings, watercolors, some taken right from nature and some from a wonderfully creative mind – they should not only hold a young child’s attention, but better yet they might send them out to the garden, sketchbook in hand, on their own search for fairy foals and the other wonders nature offers to those who will slow down just a bit, for a closer look.
Fairy Foals is a beautiful book suitable for children ages six – nine. I’m holding onto my copy of this for myself reading to my grandchildren, but Sourcebooks has been gracious enough to agree to send out a few copies to the 5 Minutes for Books readers. If you’d like to win, leave a comment. I’ll randomly draw three winners on Friday, August 1, and collect the addresses, then send them off to Sourcebooks, who will mail them directly to your front door.
For all the other open giveaways on our site, click the giveaway category link below.
Bev shares whatever’s on her heart at Scratchin’ the Surface, when she doesn’t have her nose in a book, or isn’t on the phone with someone in her family.
This is the first offering that we are submitting to Melanie/Chilihead’s Bloggy Giveaways carnival. It starts July 28 at 8:00am CST, so if you want to participate on your own blog (or just try to win lots of stuff), check out the guidelines HERE.
Yes, I said first. We have a humorous novel for adults coming up, and we’ll bless some booklover with one big bundle of new books.
what a wonderful gift to give. I too am a reader, and reading to my grandchildren is a favorite past time. My grandson who is 3, sits with his favorite book and reads. well sort of, he knows the story by heart, and says it as he turns the pages. it truly is a sight to see.
Even though Emmy’s a little too young for this book now, I’d love to have a copy to read together when she’s a little older.
Thanks, Bev, and great review! 🙂
Love and hugs,
Diane
I love the art on the cover
One can never have too many children’s books. Thanks for the giveaway!
I would love to have this book for my Olivia. I can relate to Little Brown’s story. Keeping up with the others can be very hard to do.
I’d love this for my son!
What a great prize! Thanks for letting me enter 🙂
This looks like a really cute book. I think my kids would really enjoy it.
this looks like a wonderful book!
Would love this for my daughter. Although she’s never been a “princessy” type of kid, she has a weakness for all things fairy and she’s an obsessive reader!!
Thanks for the chance, Bev!
[email protected]
This would be a great gift for my daughter. The artwork is beautiful. Thanks!
Thanks for the nice giveaway! My grandaughter would love this.
Oh my childern would love this book. Thank you for the chance to win it.
I would love to win this for my daughter!
I would love to win this for my children. Thanks so much for such a great giveaway! 🙂
I’d really like to give this to my daughter. She is such an avid reader (got it from me!) and she really enjoys books like this!
Love it! I’d love to be entered!
Thanks,
Angie
great giveaway my granddaughter loves horseys i think she would enjoy this book
My sister teaches 1st grade and is always looking for new exciting books. Thanks.
Nothing better than books to spark one’s imagination. Thanks.
Sounds like a fun, imaginative read! Thanks!
thank you! aebg1974 at bellsouth dot net
I’d love to read this to my daughter.
This looks like a wonderful book to add to my daughters collection.
how magical I know my dd would love these
Please add me in. Thanks.
My cousin would LOVE this book. She is at the age where unicorns and fairies and gnomes are real to her. My fingers are crossed.
My Hannah would absolutely love this book! She is all into fairies and horses and unicorns. 🙂
Count me in! Thank you!
Sounds like a great book. I would love to find a place for it on Brea’s bookshelf
Books keep me busy and I like being busy! Thank you!
I’d love to win this beautiful book and read it to my little son!
Please let me know if being a Brazilian resident I can try winning it!
Kisses from Nydia.
I’d love to win!!! Thanks
[email protected]
I would love to win this for my daughter. I may have to read it to her though.
This looks like a great book – would love it for my 5 year old – my only “reader”.
My kids love faries, no doubt they would enjoy this book.
I love the sound of the illustrations in this book:)
I think my daughter and I would love this book! I’d love to win:) Thanks!
What a beautiful book! My little bookworm/horse lover would really enjoy it!
My little girls would love this book! Sounds like a book they will read.
My niece would love this book and I would love to be the one to read it to her!!!
The book looks wonderful, my girls and I would love it, I’m sure!
My daughters would love this book!
The artwork on the cover alone would draw me to this book in a bookstore…absolutely beautiful! Thanks for the giveaway. 🙂
Please enter McKenna in this lovely book .she loves her books.Thank you .:)
Great book – would love to win it! Thanks!
Sounds like a great book. Thanks for the contest
Can’t wait to read the book and share it with my children–it woudl be so great to get a free copy!
I love new books and my girls do too. Thanks for the great giveaway!!
I’m trying to start reading to my daughter every day. This would be great to have.
Sounds like a wonderful book to read to my grandkids. Thank you!