Customer Reviews

Fairy Houses and Beyond! (The Fairy Houses Series)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One doesn't need to visit a crafts store to enjoy all the fun enjoyed in the practice of building what are known as 'Fairy Houses". Co-authored by Barry and Tracky Kane, "Fairy Houses and Beyond!" is a compilation of photographs of various craft projects out in nature created by products found in nature such as the remains of fruits and vegetables, leaves, twigs, and other natural remnants. Aimed to appear as the village of fairies, and highly recommended to the attention of anyone seeking to create this unique structures themselves, "Fairy Houses and Beyond!" is a collection of charming full color photographs showcasing and illustrated what can be done with a little imagination and a lot of enjoyment.

This book is beautiful, but it is a small book (I guess I was thinking it would be a coffee table book... my own stupid fault). The pictures are tiny as well; some of them merely an 1 1/2 by 1 1/2.... I actually used a magnifying glass with it. It was worth it, because the fairy houses are great... it's just LITTLE! I'm just surprised they used such a teeny format for a book of pictures!

This book arrived and gives me joy each time I pick it up. I keep it next to my bed for ideas to craft the next day.

REVIEWED BY: Wayne S. Walker, reviewer with Stories for Children Magazine



Have you ever seen a fairy's house? Author Tracy Kane has written and illustrated The Fairy Houses Series® of children's books, which consists of Fairy Houses, Fairy Boat, and Fairy Flight. These have sparked an interest in building fairy houses, which has fostered various workshops and community events, which in turn have helped to bring families closer together as they explore the wonders of nature. One of the "rules" for building fairy houses is that they must be made of all-natural materials. Tracy's husband, Barry Kane, photographed many of these fairy houses and published Fairy Houses . . . Everywhere! It shows how fairy houses are evolving into fairy villages, castles, art colonies, garden communities, other neighborhoods, and even spas!

So the Kanes have produced this second enchanting book of photographs with Fairy Houses and Beyond, which shows different environments, such as woods, beaches, meadows, mountains, the tropics, and even the tundra, in spring, summer, autumn, or winter, along with the stories behind some of them. Most of the books that I review for Stories for Children Magazine are children's picture books and youth literature, including fiction and nonfiction. I have also done a few volumes of poetry. Fairy Houses and Beyond is much different and would probably be classified primarily as a work of photography. And truly the colorful photographs by Barry Kane are sumptuous feasts for the eyes. What a creative way to capture the attention of children and stimulate their imaginations!

I teach children to use their imagination to create homes for the wee folk and this book has given both me and the children great inspiration to find treasures with which to build their faerie homes. This is a truly magical book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to put a little magic back into their lives.

I bought this for my brother's birthday and he adores it ,it only has pictures but their really intresting to see and now he wants to build he's own fairy house. well worth it.

I ordered this book as a Christmas present for my wife and she loves it. It arrived before Christmas and was as described.

I make fairy houses also but not to the extent this book shows. Got so
many wonderful ideas. Well worth the purchase.

The Fairy House Series have been on my book recommendations page on Amazon for years. I wasn't really sure what these books or fairy houses were. I started googling images and found some quite amazing examples of little homes for the fairy folk. At that point I decided that I must purchase every photography book there is of fairy homes. The first book I purchased was actually the one titled, "Fairy Houses of the Maine Coast" and it was a real hit with me and my family.

I really loved this book because overall it has a perfect presentation. I love things to be neat and organized and this was one of those publications. I would like to state that this is a rather small book, so don't be expecting a huge coffee table book-- this is an inch or two wider than an average DVD case. The pictures are rather small, although I suspect the reason maybe that if the images got too enhanced and enlarged they would end up being grainy and of poor quality. Nonetheless, some pictures do require staring at for a few minutes before you take in all of the details laid before you. The photographs are of high quality and they are filled to the brim with details. The binding of the book is tight and I love how the pages are glossy. The other thing that I really liked is how the authors did a lovely fading effect on the side of the pictures. I think it really sort of gives it an extra "lift" and doesn't leave the pictures to hang there on the page.

The only thing I did dislike is I would have wanted to know where these pictures were taken. It would have been useful to post a little subtitle text under each photograph and give the location of where the picture was taken and perhaps the date or season. I think the reason I'm all that curious as to where the photographs were taken is because perhaps me or any other reader might've had the affinity to visit one of these locations. The book doesn't have much text, just an introduction and one or two short stories of people who decided to build a fairy house.

Inside you will find approximately 83 photographs (I counted) of homes, villages, instruments, gardens, castles and furniture of the fairy folk. They are all different and show that there is no right or wrong way to build these homes. They can be very inspiring if anyone is looking to make a home or even accessories for the fairies. This book is appropriate for all ages-- works for kids since it gets them interested in something appropriate and fun, but also works for adults who just need some time away from the busy world that has forgotten much of the magic that used to exist.

I just loved this book! Small, easy to hold, each page a visual delight, just perfect for fairy lovers! It's a book I'll share with the nieces and nephews of all ages.