*I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Maybe this book isn’t really about fairies —though there are fairies in every page. Maybe this beautifully illustrated book is about the things children can see, before adulthood comes knocking and everything looks, to quote the book, “harder and sharper”.

As I read it —or, more accurately, studied its images and few words—, I was immediately transported to my childhood. Like many, I imagine, I remember hearing about the Cottingley Fairies when I was very, very young. My father told me. Though he was a skeptic of all things magical, I still believed in fairies, then; thought I could glimpse them dancing among the leaves in the woods behind my house. Now, as I studied the pictures in this book, I felt six again, playing hide-and-seek with things that don’t exist. There are words for the sensation this little retelling evoked: wonder, and awe, and something like unadulterated delight.

In 1918, as the nations finished their first World War, Elsie Wright and her cousin Frances Griffith took a series of photographs in their garden. In the pictures, the girls claimed, were the fairies. And in the pictures, indeed, there were fairies (if they were real or made of paper, I believe, is up to you). The images, now infamous, were a phenomenon —more so when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle became their biggest fan. Everyone wanted to see them, visit the garden, and find the fairies for themselves. The book tells this story through dozens of illustrations, as recounted years later by Elsie.

"The Cottingley Fairies" is a touching little gem about finding bliss in the darkest time, whether real or imagined, and sharing it with those around us. It is mostly a picture book, though, and I understand this might not be for everyone. The wording is pretty, but it’s scarce. If you’re expecting a long narration, you’ll be sorely disappointed. But, if like me, you still find joy in “reading” a book of pictures, or love illustrations on their own, you’ll enjoy this one.

It will be perfect for parents and guardians who wish to go over the pictures with their children, exploring their details and secrets with them. The illustrations, after all, are gorgeous. There’s a child-like quality to the lines, a wobbliness, that is downright charming. The ever-present blacks, whites and grays make the bursts of blues, oranges and reds stand out, demanding attention. And there are so many fairies, both hiding and parading in plain sight.

'The Cottingley Fairies' with words and illustrations by Ana Sender is a picture book about 2 English girls who claimed to have seen fairies and have the photos to prove it.

In 1918, two girls, Elsie Wright and her cousin Frances Griffith, liked playing outdoors. They also noticed how sad the adults around them were with news of the war. The girls like taking photos and playing make believe and this leads to a discovery that will astonish the grown-ups including Arthur Conan Doyle.

The book is kind of a dull retelling, and the illustrations don't serve to spark much wonder. There is a sort of moral ambiguity to the story in which children might assume that it is okay to lie to adults in order to make them feel better.
I received a review copy of this ebook from North South Books Inc. and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

the text felt stilted. also really only appeals to older kids and adults I think

Never would've guessed that this was based on true events. But overall I did enjoy the colorful illustrations & the story. The shifts of color really did help with certain moments in the story.
Blue is one of my favorite colors & there was a lot of blue in here~


:::(Reading Times: 7:20pm to 7:25pm):::

Finished reading: November 15th 2018

"Adults lived in a very different world... It was hard and sharp, and they weren't able to see ours."

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and North South Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

Spoiler

I first fell in love with the cover of The Cottingley Fairies, and after I read in the blurb it was based on true events I was fully intrigued. Proof that fairies really exist, and a reference to the famous author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? It cannot get more intriguing than that. I was looking forward to find out more about Elsie and Frances' story, since this was the first time I had heard about it. In the end I was unfortunately quite underwhelmed by The Cottingley Fairies. The first thing that stood out for me had to do with the illustrations. While I loved the cover illustration, I wasn't so sure about the rest of the picture book in general. They felt a bit simple and almost unfinished to me, and lacked that 'magical' feel that would have worked better with this story. I don't think children are as attracted to the illustrations as it is. That said, I wasn't really convinced by the text either. The story paints the fairies as something that really exists and the 'proof' are photos the girls actually confess to have fabricated themselves. Fairies made out of paper are shown instead of 'real' fairies, and even though in the back the story is explained and it's said that Frances until the day she died stood by her words that fairies are real, it's really hard to believe. Also, I think the story kind of shone a negative light on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I'm sure little children will still find this story entertaining enough, but it's best to treat The Cottingley Fairies as a little fairy tale and not really look for a deeper meaning behind it.

P.S. Find more of my reviews here.

In the early days of photography, in the mid 1800s, two little girls took photos of what they said, were fairies in their garden. An perhaps because photography was so new, or perhaps because people just wanted to believe, everyone thought they were real, and come to the gardens to see for themselves.

The girls never admitted that they had made up the fairies. And in the book, they insist that the reason they made paper fairies and photographed them was because the real fairies wouldn't stay still long enough





And OK story, but told as though what the children said was true, about the cut-out faries.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is a nicely illustrated book. Wonderful for children who still believe in magic and fairies. Two young ladies took pictures of fairies and made their town famous. It's beautiful, and I love how history was intertwined with geographical fame.

Neat book, but the story it is based on is more fascinating. I like the beautiful illustrations.

I've got a digital copy through Netgalley. I had a pleasant experience reading this, I don't think it was something out of this world, but the drawings were pretty, I enjoyed the comic content (like the faerie
making the little girl take a photograph of her but, lol) and I feel this is one of those books you just pick to pass the time and finish with a smile in your face.

This beginning story is about a historical event that happened during WWI in England where 2 little girls took some pictures of fairies in the woods and the world debated if they were real or not. The real author Sir Arther Conan Doyle believed them to be real and he set the world on fire with the picture broadcasting them far and wide.

We all know I'm gaga about fairies. I know this story too, but man, this book was a bummer. The artwork is rough. These are fairies and it's almost black and white. I would think color would jump off the page. The artwork is so disappointing. I like the story it tells and that saves it from a 2 star review, but it does make me sad. So much wasted potential here.