Flower Fairies of the Summer

Flower Fairies

by Cicely Mary Barker

Cicely Mary Barker's original Flower Fairies books, first published in the 1920s, have been known and loved by generations. Like the pre-Raphaelite painters whom she so admired, Barker believed in re-creating the beauty of nature in art and drawing from life. Her Flower Fairies watercolors have a unique combination of naturalism and fantasy that no imitators have matched.

Each of Barker's four seasonal books features poems and full-color illustrations of at least 19 flowers that bloom during a particular season.

Genres: Poetry, Childrens, Fantasy, Picture Books, Art, Summer, Classics

56 pages, Hardcover

Published June 1, 2002

About the author

Cicely Mary Barker was the illustrator who created the famous Flower Fairies; those ethereal smiling children with butterfly wings. As a child she was influenced by the works of the illustrator Kate Greenaway, whom she assiduously copied in her formative years. Her principal influence, however, was the artwork of the Pre-Raphaelites.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the same format as the other flower fairy book I have read. Each page is a different poem about a different flower. The drawings are fantastic, so lovely and colorful. It shows the fairy and the flower. I love the poppy flower here. Her dress is astounding. A fashion house should use this concept.

These little books make me happy. So the niece loved this book too. She loved the fairy dresses and she enjoyed the poems for each. She still loves fairies. She also keeps asking me if I really believe in fairies. Of course, is my honest reply. She gave this 5 stars. The nephew was not happy having to read this book with me. He didn’t want to read it and he said it was for girls. He gave it 1 star and said he didn’t want to read more of these. There you go.

[Carolyn Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complete and utter perfection. It’s a simple as that.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting book that associates a flower with a fairy. The illustrations really grabbed my attention: beautiful and vibrant pictures of each fairy next to their flower. This would be a nice picnic book to read with a small child - and then let them go look for flowers. Very nice beginning poetry book.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another charming book of illustrated verse about flowers and their fairies by Cicely Mary Barker. This time, the season has moved on to Summer. Delightful!

The Song of the Poppy Fairy

The green wheat's a-growing,
The lark sings on high;
in scarlet silk a-glowing,
Here stand I.

The wheat's turning yellow,
Ripening for sheaves;
I hear the little fellow,
Who scares the bird-thieves.

Now the harvest's ended,
The wheat-field is bare;
But still, read and splendid,
I am there.

My next book: Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 15

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

the wild rose fairy means everything to me

[Sparrow · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a cute little book and the pictures are sweet, but WOW, the poetry is doggerel. Children deserve better than this.

[chloe ‎‎♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh to be a flower fairy

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The riotous blooms of Spring are over, but Cicely Mary Barker's summertime flower fairies are equally charming and colourful. What sets this collection apart from her first publication is that Barker is much more experimental with her compositions. Most of the springtime fairies are presented nearly standing beside their flora, presenting both their creatively flower-inspired costumes and Barker's careful botanicals to full effect, but their summery companions are show at their ease. We see them perched charefully among their flowers' branches, lying restfully on the ground, and even backwards presenting their lovely wings. Choosing a favourite from this collection is surely a challenge, when Barker has so carefully instilled each fairy with a unique personality, but I am particularly drawn to the couture dress of the poppy fairy, the artful blossoms and mischief of the honeysuckle fairy, and the delicate colours of the scabious fairy.

[Mila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've seen Cicely Mary Barker's work everywhere but this is the first time I've actually sat down and read the book. I was pleased to see so many wild flowers and herbs such as Herb Robert aka Wild Geranium, Foxglove, White Clover, Yarrow, Toadflax, Ragwort and there's even Knapweed! She calls Wild Clematis, Traveller's Joy which is a much prettier name. It's so true what she says about The Buttercup:

'Tis I whom children love the best;
My wealth is all for them;
For them is set each glossy cup
Upon each sturdy stem.

O little playmates whom I love!
The sky is summer-blue,
And meadows full of buttercups
Are spread abroad for you.

We adults just think of them as weeds.

[Heila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only are the illustrations wonderful, but the artist/author is also a fashion designer in miniature. The clothing the little children (fairies) wear is based on the kind of flower to whom they belong. It's genius - in a soft and lovely way. This book has a bonus feature in that it includes succinct, engaging horticultural information.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eliza just got this last Friday and already it has been read at least a dozen times. Sometimes she likes listening to the poetry and looking at the illustrations, and other times she'll "read" it to us, mostly describing the fairies' outfits (the girl has her priorities...).

[Clare Rea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet little book is so beautiful and so nostalgic to me. We had the large anthology of flower fairies growing up and I just poured over the pages. The illustrations are stunning but I really enjoyed revisiting and taking in the sweet poems that go with each specific personified flora.

[Jay Semeniuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is too cute, too nostalgic

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh what a delightful little book. some of the poetry falls short, but it's so cute and charming and the artstyle is lovely. I particularly enjoyed the poems and illustrations for the poppy, foxglove, and traveller's joy fairies.

“Foxglove, Foxglove,
What do you see?”
The cool green woodland,
The fat velvet bee;
Hey, Mr Bumble,
I’ve honey here for thee!

[Candii · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
i liked more fairies than i have in previous books, still only liked about 2 poems though haha. i think maybe cicely mary barker isnt a poet for me which is fair enough.

[Kayley Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Now reigns the Lady Summer,
Round whose feet,
A thousand fairies flock with blossoms sweet.”

This little poetry book is so special to me. 🥲

[Barbora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful drawings of the flower fairies of flowers blossoming in summer are accompanied by cute little poems about their respective flowers. I absolutely love the drawings which are so intricate, fine and so lovely. Each fairy is holding on to their flower and their outfits are made up of parts of the flower or match it in colour and shape. Just looking at this book immediately gives me joy and I've learnt a few flower names that I didn't know before!

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book originally published in England in 1925. It contains little poems and drawings of fairies associated with particular flowers. There are twenty fairies in this book. There's also an introductory poem with a black-and-white drawing. All the other fairy drawings are in color.

The drawing for the Forget-Me-Not fairy is very good, in my opinion. So is the one for the Poppy fairy. There are some extra notes on some of the poems, noting different names for the various flowers, plus some warnings on poisonous flowers.

[Dark-Draco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had these books forever - must have been given them as a child and they have remained a firm favourite. What I love about these books, is how each poem is completly different. The form, tone, rhyming scheme - they all change to suit the paticular flower that the poet is describing. My favourite poem in this one has to be 'Toadflax', while I love the picture of 'Birds Trefoil Foot', but is always so hard to choose what I like best from such a treasure trove.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable little series! I loved that my nan had found these in a charity shop, and enjoyed our nightly reads with them whenever I visited her!

The flower fairies of the summer poems were the first collection of these fairy poems that I read from this series and this was where I began wanting to read them all!

I just wished that Barker would have considered doing a story. The poems were beautiful, but a story conbining the fairies would have been magical!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first two my mother gave to me as a child! I believe it was for my fifth birthday, although it could had been my fourth. All I remember is that I received this one along with Flower Fairies of the Trees and that I also received a Franklin the Turtle book bag at the time. Since then, I have remained in love with the Flower Fairies, both in the poetry, and the pictures. I have made two Flower Fairy cross stitch pictures and they proudly hang on my walls...with more to come.

[Your Common House Bat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh I love all of the Flower Fairy books. Barker is an awesome poet. When I was little these books had me out in my grandmother's garden trying to find the flower fairies. Reading these books again as an adult I realized just how wonderful they are. The imagery is stunning, the language enchanting and the artwork is so lovely. Each fairy is beautifully drawn and has a sort of personality to go with him or her.

[Persephone Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is it that combines the charm
Of children and flowers,
Neither innocent of raising alarm
From their portent powers?

Hithering from the sunshine
Seeking coy shadows
Our eyes they dine
Gazing over the paper meadows.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have all four of these flower fairy books, which Beth found for me in her oxfam shop one day :)

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful, whimsical world of Cicely Mary Barker.

[Kimberly Souza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute.

[Snufkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for children to notice all these common yet often overlooked flowers. Gorgeous!

[Annemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is so good and I just love these little poems. I also really love how they teach you a bit about the flowers as well.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tiny book to add to your tiny book collection. What fun!

[Catherine Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read this many times before. Great for filling in idle moments.