Since the publication of Cicely Mary Barker’s first book in 1923, the Flower Fairies have been ethereal companions to generations of readers around the world. The art is stunning and the poems are sweet and informative without feeling like you are just sitting learning a lesson about plants. Featuring a fascinating introduction by Val McDermid and new illustrations by Juan Esteban Rodríguez, each copy has been signed by both the introducer and the illustrator. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. The entire read is a magical experience filled with load of educational information and beyond cute in so many delightful ways!

It is too bad that Barker did not have access to the internet, or she would have found flowers for "U" and "X": "ursinia" and "xylobium. We get to learn which flowers bloom in summer, winder, spring and autumn, and even which berries are edible and which ones will send you off into the land of poison.The beautiful artwork is accompanied by the original poetry by Barker, which not only tells you more about the fairy in question, but also shows that painting with poetry is an art form that's no longer as pure as it was. This new edition, with a pretty new cover - published by Penguin Books South Africa - will make you nostalgic for your youth, and will remind you of all the beauty in the world without needing to step a foot outside. Cicely Mary Barker was the illustrator who created the famous Flower Fairies; those ethereal smiling children with butterfly wings. Although Barker painted and published many works, both secular and devotional, it was the Flower Fairies that became internationally beloved and remain so.

I think it is a must for every child’s bookshelf – beautiful and just as enchanting as when the first book appeared in 1923. If someone is interested in seeing/purchasing these pictures of this collection (without the poems) should go to http://www.The characters of all the humble flowers and trees we can see along the lanes, in the fields and gardens are charmingly captured, with little asides that immortalise country sayings and wisdom. I was ecstatic when I found this book, which is a compilation of many smaller books that Cicely Barker created. Epileptic as a child, she was educated at home and took correspondence courses in art for several years.