The Faerie's Gift (Hardcover)

~ Tanya Robyn Batt (Author), Nicoletta Ceccoli (Illustrator) "Once upon a time, and it wasn't my time and it wasn't your time  it was a time when life was much simpler than..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-5-This fairy tale has been told throughout many cultures, but with its Irish twist, the magic in this version cannot be denied. Batt's elegant and rhythmic retelling relates the plight of a poor woodcutter and his wife who live in the forest with his elderly parents, with "Old Man Poverty" sitting on their doorstep. The couple have always wanted a child, but have never been able to conceive. Then their hand-to-mouth existence is turned upside down when the woodcutter saves the life of a faerie and is given a single wish as a reward. He must find a way to use it for his whole family's benefit. The text is intelligent and wise. Ceccoli's stylized artwork, done in acrylic and oil pastels, glows with warmth and the love of the small family, and the perspectives vary from page to page. A satisfying gem of a story, lyrically told and graced with luminous art.
Susan Marie Pitard, formerly at Weezie Library for Children, Nantucket Atheneum, MA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 3. In this beautifully illustrated version of a familiar story, a woodcutter is granted one wish after he saves a faerie's life. The problem is that he doesn't know what to wish for. His wife wants him to ask for the child they have wanted for many years; his blind mother begs him to give her back her sight; his practical father tells him to wish for gold. The confused woodcutter heads to his beloved forest to think. He returns triumphantly with a single wish that makes everyone happy: "I wish that my mother could see our baby lying here in a cradle of gold." This enchanting tale is sure to spark lively discussion, and it will be a good springboard for creative-writing assignments, even among children older than the target audience. Ceccoli's luminous pictures are expertly rendered in acrylic and oil pastels. Their unusual perspectives, elements of fantasy, and ethereal quality complement the story's magical theme. Compare this with other wish-fulfillment tales, or have kids write their own story with themselves in the woodcutter's role. Lauren Peterson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books; F edition (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841489980
• ISBN-13: 978-1841489988
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #521,545 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full Of Magic, April 21, 2003

By	Preston McClear, Author The Boy Under the Bed - See all my reviews

The Faery's Gift is magnificently illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli and features a beautifully written story by Tanya Robyn Batt. A poor woodcutter rescues a fairy in the Forest and is rewarded with one wish. Trouble is each member of his family wants him to make a different wish. You'll be eagerly turning the pages to find out how the woodcutter solves his dilemma. I was completely charmed by this story.

Preston McClear, ...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars pretty folk art pictures and a sweet story, October 24, 2005

By	M. Fitzgerald - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This story is about a wood cutter who is given a wish by a faerie for saving his life. The wood cutter returns home with the wish only to find his family at odds over what he should wish for. In the end the wood cutter finds a way to make everyone happy. I like the story, but it is not one of my 3 year old's favorites.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully illustrated story w/ an ingenious twist., October 7, 2008

By	The Well-Read Child "http://wellreadchild.blo... - See all my reviews

On a seemingly ordinary day, a poor woodcutter rescues a faerie from a preying hawk. In return for saving his life, the faerie gives the woodcutter a gift of one wish. As the woodcutter dreams of things he's always desired, he remembers his family back at home and decides that they must all decide on what the wish will be. The woodcutter is more confused than ever when his wife wants him to wish for the child they've never been able to have, his blind mother wants him to wish for her to regain her eyesight, and his father wants him to wish for gold. How can he make his entire family happy with just one wish?


This is the type of enchanting story that many children will love. They will especially enjoy hearing the story read aloud to them. But what steals the show in this book are Nicoletta Ceccoli's breathtaking illustrations. Ceccoli's illustrations are three dimensional, and in many cases, the reader is looking at the pictures in the book from a bird's eye view. Combine this with a soft palette, and you're instantly taken into another time, a magical dream world where faeries exist and have the ability to grant wishes to good people.