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Children's Book ReviewsPage One of TwoA Midsummer Night's Faery Tale by Wendy Froud & Terry WindlingSimon and Schuster, October 1999.Hardcover, 48 pages Reading Level: Ages 8 to Adult ISBN: 0684855593. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
"This is a faery story. It doesn't begin
'once upon a time' or 'in a land
far, far away'… it begins here in the world we know,
in a forest called Old Oak Wood." So begins
A Midsummer Night's Faery Tale, a marvelous
new story from doll and puppetmaker Wendy Froud
(best known for creating Yoda of Star Wars fame) and award-winning
author and editor Terry Windling (best known for
her collaboration with Ellen Datlow on the Year's Best
Horror and Fantasy anthologies.) In the Old Oak
Wood it will soon be Midsummer Night and all the
faeries are busy with preparations for the event which
honors the King and Queen of the faeries, Oberon and
Titania. A small, young faery only two hundred years old
named Sneezle is longing to take part in the celebration, but
he keeps getting in the way. Sneezle feels like he can't
do anything right, and is quite discouraged.
But when someone puts an evil sleeping spell on
Queen Titania and plots to steal her crown, Sneezle
is the unlikely hero chosen to journey into the dark
of the woods to find the Midsummer crown in time for
the celebration that evening. On his quest, Sneezle finds
some unlikely allies, a magical sword and a traitor who
must be stopped.
Terri Windling takes a fairly standard fantasy storyline, the inexperienced youth setting off on a quest which could make him a hero, and turns it on its head in this charming fantasy fable. Wendy Froud's creations -- faeries, piskies, trolls, sylphs and the like -- are beautiful and imaginative, as are the photographs by Brian Froud; doll collectors will be in heaven. Children will no doubt find Sneezle adorable, and adults will find the story entertaining and the illustrations enchanting. An unusual and captivating book which would make a perfect Christmas gift for faery lovers of any age. The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Part 2) by Lemony Snicket, Brett Hilquist, IllustratorHarperTrophy, August, 1999.Hardcover, 192 pages Reading Level: Ages 9 - Adult ISBN: 0064407675. Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
In Book 1 (
The Bad Beginning) we saw the
unfortunate Baudelaire children experience the
death of their beloved parents and a series of
horrific events as their new guardian, the smarmy
Count Olaf, treated them in a despicable manner
and tried to steal their fortune. The authorities
finally intervened. Now, in Book 2 the courageous
children are sent to yet another relative -- Montgomery
Montgomery, the noted herpetologist. When they
arrive at their new home (with snake-shaped
hedges) they wonder, "Would Dr. Montgomery
be a kind person?...Would he at least be better than
Count Olaf? Could he possibly be worse?" But
Dr. Montgomery has a twinkle in his eye and
kindly invites them in for some fresh-baked
coconut cream pie. Then, after informing them
that they will soon be leaving for an exciting trip to
Peru to collect more reptiles, he gives each child his
own room, and invites them into the reptile room
to see his fascinating exhibits. Violet, Klaus and
the baby, Sunny, cannot believe their good fortune --
and, of course, they really shouldn't, given the way
their luck has been running.
This second installment in the series of unfortunate events of the courageous Baudelaire children is laugh out loud funny, as well as being somewhat alarming. The author and narrator, Lemony Snicket, is as mysterious and mournful as ever, although we get tantalizing glimpses of his lifestyle once in awhile. He apologizes to the reader for leaving him hanging at the end of the previous chapter, but explains that he was late for a formal dinner party given by his good friend, Madam diLustro, "an excellent detective, and a fine cook, but she flies into a rage if you arrive even five minutes later than her invitation states..." But we still have no clue as to what Mr. Snicket's relationship to the Baudelaires is. Surely, in time, all will be revealed. In the meantime, lovers of witty prose and sly humor will be spellbound by this wickedly wonderful series. Highly Recommended. --Claire E. White Children's Book Reviews Page One | Page Two Return to Book Reviews Index ** To visit the archives of children's books reviewed in The IWJ, please click here. |