Customer Reviews

Marigold and the Feather of Hope, The Journey Begins (The Fairy Chronicles)

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This is a really good book. It is about a girl who finds out she is a fairy. Then she has to go with her friends to rescue the feather of hope from gremlins. I read this book to my little sister. She thinks it is the best book of all time. I think Harry Potter books are better because they are longer. She likes this book because it is shorter. Maybe this book is better because it is more about girls. Mom printed us another Fairy Chronicles book from the internet. We both like it because it is about a peaceful dragon. We are keeping it in a folder to read again. My sister wants a pussywillow wand. She will get one because she is five. I want a wooden wand because it is more grown up like Harry Potter. I want a daschund but I can't have one because we already have a poodle. This is a very very good book. You should read it.

As a fairy lover and dachshund owner, I feel this book was written specifically for me. The author has found a charming way to work fairy lore into real life. I am especially delighted to discover exactly what gremlins are afraid of: stainless steel, vacuum cleaners, and dachshunds. Now, when I have a run of bad luck with things breaking, I know to step up my vacuuming and give my dachshund free run of the house. The girls in this story are very independent and courageous and are great role models for youngsters. A wonderful book for all ages.

I just had to read this book after seeing all the rave reviews. I thought it was a little pricy, but hoped it would be worth it. I just read it to my 7 and 11 year old daughters. The 11 year old is long past any interest in fairies, but something in this story kept her coming back to hear more. The story doesn't take place in some fantasy world for the most part, it takes place in our world. The story just introduces us to some fairies, brownies and gremlins that we might "overlook" in our day to day lives. We really enjoyed the fresh approach, that Beth/Marigold was just an ordinary girl, and her transformation back and forth between fairy and little girl was something we could all relate to without a huge stretch of the imagination. The story doesn't talk down to children, and while short, it is wonderfully creative. I think my money was well spent and hope to see book 2 soon! My older daughter says she especially liked Aunt Evelyn because of her colorful personality.

Beth is marigold fairy. She attends fairy circle and meets her new friends Dragonfly, Thistle, and Firefly. With help from Beth's dachshund, Peanut, they set out on a mission to rescue the Feather of Hope (the source of all hope on earth) from a house full of nasty gremlins.

This story is highly imaginative and presents a new twist on traditional fairy lore because the fairies are real girls living among us. With an emphasis on respect for nature, tolerance of differences, and helping others, this book has the power to teach as well as entertain. Add in an adorable dog and fun aspects such as the fairies' love for lemon jellybeans, and the gremlins' fear of vacuum cleaners, dachshunds, and stainless steel, and you have a great story to enjoy again and again. Recommended read for all peoples and ages, particularly girls ages 8-14.

I did a book report on this book. My teacher wanted me to pick a more serious book, but she still gave me an A when she found out how important fairies are in the world. At first I picked this book to read because it is short, but I read it twice. So it didn't matter. I like the dog and the gremlins in this story. I also like that the story is both fun and serious. Some of my friends want to read this book, but I'm not sure if I want them to borrow it. I am afraid I might not get it back. If any of them read it twice it might get bent up. But my Mom says I should share because I have more books than they do. I have a lot of books. If I am a fairy I want to be a firefly or dragonfly instead of a flower. Firefly can light up. Dragonfly is faster and can play soccer better. If I am a fairy, I want an older fairy to tell me soon so I can start doing my job as a fairy. I could do the job. I am responsible. I take care of a cat and a guinea pig. I liked this book a lot.

Marigold and The Feather of Hope is a must read for all ages. Girls, ages 7-14, will find strength, power, and wisdom in J.H. Sweet's words. Vivid, colorful characters and settings make the story come alive. The story-line is captivating and intriguing, and it keeps you reading until the last page. Looking forward to the next books in the series.

Anyone interested in children's literature will enjoy this book. It is very well written -- has fun, adventure and good lessons to be learned. Also rekindles memories of younger days for the "older crowd". I hope to see much more by this author! The world needs more good fairy tales.

My Aunt Evelyn gave me this book because I love fairies. I'm happy there's a lady in the book named Aunt Evelyn. That makes it more special.
I loved the fairies, gremlins, and all the fun characters.
Peanut is so cute and funny.
I loved the way they all talked and I hope the author writes another one soon.
My name is Heather. I'm ten years old.
Thank you, lady, for the cool book.

This author has found an exciting way to entertain while exposing young readers to diverse cultures and nature appreciation. I have read the book to my 3 year old daughter, and amazingly the story held her interest! She actually asked when we were going to read the story again. Thank you for making this excellent adventure available for readers of all ages.

I wasn't sure what to make of these books in the Fairy Chronicles series. I know that some girls love princesses and fairies and unicorns, but I don't think that my eight-year-old daughter and I are in that camp. We were both hooked in the first chapter, because this is not just a story about a feminine mythical creature. It's an adventure story. It's also a story of self-discovery. Every two to three pages are illustrated with really beautiful pen and ink drawings by Tara Larsen Chang, which makes the book even more captivating. The story could be enjoyed by girls age six or seven on up to ten, at least. The print is big (like an early reader), but the vocabulary is fairly complex (My third grade daughter could easily understand, but there were a few unfamiliar words). It makes for a nice combination that is not too intimidating to read, and yet will challenge a girl while she's reading it (sort of like when Kindergarteners have so much fun that the don't realize that they are learning). This also makes it a great read-aloud, because you can stop and talk about the new words. Each book is about 100 pages, which I have found is a nice length for a book that we are going to read together before bed, because we are able to finish the book within a week and not get too weary of it. It's also just the right length for a slower or more reluctant independent reader to be able to tackle on her own.

Beth is a [...] girl who is going to spend part of the summer with her quirky aunt. What Beth doesn't know is that her aunt has something special in mind for this particular visit. She's going to tell Beth something about herself that she doesn't know: she is also a fairy named Marigold. As a fairy, Beth learns to fly, to use her wand, and even helps ward off the evil activities of some gremlins, while exploring her new found relationships with other young girls who also happen to be fairies.
This first book sets up the storyline, so there is less action and adventure, but we've also read the second book and found it to be more exciting in that respect.