Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child (Kate Greenaway Medal (Awards)) [Hardcover]

Bob Graham (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Kate Greenaway Medal (Awards)

From the creator of MAX—a PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Best Book—comes a whimsical reminder that a family of fairies can be found in the unlikeliest of places, if you have the time to look

Annabelle’s dad has little time for fairies, which he assures her she won’t find in the cement and the weeds of their urban backyard. But Annabelle has lots of time, so she keeps looking - even under her baby brother, Sam. And one day she finds what she’s looking for: a thumb-sized fairy child named Jethro Byrd, whose family has made an awkward landing in a tiny ice cream truck among some discarded bottles and cans. What a wonderful chance to invite all the Byrds for tea with Mommy and Daddy! But why, Annabelle wonders - as the fairies fiddle and sing and dance and whistle away among the cake crumbs - are she and Sam the only ones who can see them?

Bob Graham is back, as magical as ever, with a wry tale about the rewards of paying attention - and the marvelous discoveries to be made by seeing the world through the wide-open eyes of a child.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Combining the humorous, the magical and the mundane, Graham (Max; Benny) creates another warm, sweet-natured picture book. As Annabelle plays alongside the fence near her family's apartment building, she hears something bounce down from the sky. Upon investigation, Annabelle meets Jethro Byrd, a boy as big as her finger, and his family, all of whom happen to be fairies. Annabelle invites the Byrds to tea, with the full support of her parents. As the Byrds enjoy cakes and chamomile tea and entertain with song and dance, Annabelle and her brother, Baby Sam, are delighted; their mother and father oblivious. The parents earnestly pretend to see the Byrds, but, as one fairy tells Annabelle, grown-ups [don't] have time for fairies. Graham's not-too-subtle message about slowing down to enjoy the small wonders of life will resonate with children and adults alike. His ink-and-watercolor paintings easily shift from human to fairy scale and back. The winged Byrds, wearing contemporary clothes and traveling in a flying ice-cream truck, suggest a wide and welcoming fantasy world. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-A girl spends all of her free time searching for fairies in the scraggly grass and dirt that line the concrete path of her family's urban home. Like most adults, "Annabelle's dad had little time for fairies. 'you won't find fairies in cement and weeds-as far as I know.'" Yet on a warm summer day, the child sees something hit the fence and bounce off the driveway. "There she met a boy-as big as her finger. He hitched up his jeans, flew onto a leaf, and wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve. '[I'm] Jethro Jethro Byrd I'm a Fairy Child.'" Much to Annabelle's delight, Jethro and his family agree to stay for some tea and cake. Her mother plays along, and agrees to make some tea for her guests, even though she and her husband cannot see them. After tea, the fairies must move on, but Annabelle is changed by the meeting. Graham's charming watercolor-and-ink artwork has muted shadows and an affectionate softness that complement the magical undertones of the story. One spread shows a crouching Annabelle, grand and gargantuan, holding Jethro's father on her pinky, while Jethro, his mother, and grandmother flit about nearby. Pair this with Hans Christian Andersen's "Thumbelina," or use it to introduce John Peterson's "The Littles" (Scholastic) to a new generation of fairy seekers.
Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 2nd Printing edition (June 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763617725
• ISBN-13: 978-0763617721
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 10.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,365,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars SMALL PLEASURES, July 2, 2002

By 

Vicki Arkoff (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child (Kate Greenaway Medal (Awards)) (Hardcover)

From Thumbelina and Tinkerbell to The Littles, small folk have always been hugely appealing to the wee storybook crowd. And what could be more engaging to youngsters 4-to-7, than the idea of actually finding a fairy in their own backyard? When Annabelle discovers a fairy child named Jethro Byrd, she can't believe her eyes. Soon, Annabelle is joined by the rest of the musical Byrd family for an entertaining tea party. Her parents, however, are too busy or too unimaginative to see the fairies, but they humor their daughter who can't help but ponder the adventures she might have if she flew off with the Byrd family, leaving her own mundane home behind. Despite the oversized dimensions of this picture book, the story within is very small, offering a simple contemplation about slowing down to look at the little things around us.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book in my 3-yr old's collection, February 23, 2006

By 

J. Felton "Mom" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child (Paperback)

This is the first review I've ever given on Amazon. I'm doing so because I was so surprised that this book had an avg. of only 3 stars (because of one barely-explained 1-star review out of the 3 reviews given), and felt it was so misleading that I should weigh in. This is a GREAT book. It teaches wonderful values (hospitality to strangers, taking time, patience, kindness) without being heavy-handed or saccharine. It talks about parents "not getting it," wihtout villifying the parents like some books. The art is beautiful too.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charmed, December 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Jethro Byrd, Fairy Child (Kate Greenaway Medal (Awards)) (Hardcover)

This is a lovely story with great child appeal. After much looking for fairies, Annabelle really does find one. The Jethro of the title and his fairy family, including a baby as big as a fingenail, have crashed their ice-cream truck in a vacant lot. Annabelle lends a helping hand and invites them to tea. Her parents play along but can't see the tiny guests. Graham's bulby nosed, ordiniary-looking characters add to the feeling that this could happen in your backyard too.