How to Find Flower Fairies

Flower Fairies

by Cicely Mary Barker

Using clever disguises, fairies live and hide in treetops, forests, gardens, marshes, and hedgerows.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Picture Books, Fairies, Fiction, Art, Fae

24 pages, Hardcover

Published September 6, 2007

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

[[ J o ] · Rating 3 out of 5]

So it's not true folklore, but my goodness it is so utterly charming. I nearly died from all the pop-up cuteness. Imaginative and just so bloody lovely.


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[Beth F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had this on my “to-read” shelf for more than eight years and it goes through periods of being extremely difficult to find (and expensive to purchase online) to being only moderately expensive--currently $21.84 on Amazon--and while I’m certainly not opposed to spending money on books, I can guarantee that it would take less than a week for this book to become totally destroyed if it ever came into my house.

My children would love it and when they love books, it’s fucking physical. I WILL HUG HIM AND SQUEEZE HIM AND KISS HIM AND LOVE HIM AND CALL HIM GEORGE!!!!!!! That kind of love is not worth $22 or my own heartbreak over seeing the beautiful pop-ups in tatters.

Imagine my surprise when I stumbled across a copy on the shelves of a head shop in Ocean Beach San Diego while on vacation. Next to the instructional books about cultivating your own marijuana farm and what it’s like to take an ayahusca trip, there was a sealed copy of How to Find Flower Fairies available for purchase and one copy that had been opened for customers to read and enjoy, which I opted to take advantage of. I spent 20 minutes reading the descriptions and looking for the tiny fairies hidden inside the pop ups—so charming!

I also spent some time speculating over the proper time to someday buy my own copy and give it a place to live in my home and decided that maybe when my children hit middle school I’ll risk it. Maybe.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My granddaughter’s love of fairies and nature led me to the world of Cicely Mary Barker. Many of her works ( small books like the Peter Rabbit and Brambly Hedge series) were written 100 years ago. This pop-up book is exquisite.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was obsessed with this book as a child!

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely pop up book, with different settings for finding fairies and their plants. Flowers, marshes, trees. Lovely details.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best fairy pop-up book ever. I love the intricate pieces and style of the artwork.

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so we’re basically into winter here in Canada (ie the first proper snow has fallen), but that’s not going to stop me taking a wander through peak springtime vibes with Cicely Mary Barker’s pop-up fairy book! While technically pop-up books were available during Barker’s lifetime, I doubt she would have imagined in her wildest dreams that her classically-styled nature-based fairy illustrations would have been reimagined for the children of today in this fully immersive style. But thanks to the enterprising editors at Penguin, we get to traipse through the wayside and discover a myriad of fairies hiding in the not-so-far-away wilderness! While Barker’s fairies are far less prominent in this volume than in her own (where they take categorical front and centre attention), the hunt for their small forms among the pop-up scenery is delightfully fun. As we search under leaves, down paths in the swamp, and amongst the flower petals we get to feel like we’re momentarily entering the natural world from the comfort of our reading nooks due to the careful construction and elaborate artistry behind the pop-up environments. There may be more technically advanced pop-up books in this style (don’t even get me started on how expensive they are), but this is honestly one of the best I’ve ever gotten to explore due to its whimsical style and quiet narration. Whoever said pop-up books are for children clearly is missing the mark, and more importantly is missing out on this delightful art form!

[Tiyahna Ridley-Padmore · Rating 3 out of 5]

In How to Find Flower Fairies Pop-Up , Cicely Mary Barker introduces readers to the research she has been compiling on flower fairies. Using popups, illustrations, sparkles, vivid descriptions and engaging stories, Barker brings the imaginative world of fairies to life.

Juxtaposed against Barker's debut book on fairies Fairyopolis , this one paled in comparison. How to Find Flower Fairies Pop-Up seemed too gimmicky to offer the same magical experience that the first book offered. I found the cursive text font to be difficult to read. Further, the pop ups on every page were excessive - it was difficult to close the pages, I worried about ripping the book while flipping through and it didn't add anything for me. I thought maybe the pop-ups could help make this book more appealing to child readers, however, the book cautions that it is not for children so I'm unclear on the reasoning behind the decision to include (so many) pop-ups.

[Barbora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of all the flower fairies books I've got, How to Find Flower Fairies has got the biggest and the most intricate pop-ups. Like the name suggests, Cicely Mary Barker offers advice on where and how one can find flower fairies in nature. According to her findings they are very likely to be found in 5 specific locations (I'm not going to give them away here) and each is then displayed in the book by an extremely intricate pop-up together with some additional notes and observations by the author.

The pop-ups are beautiful and very complex, but also less interactive as a result - I always take a lot of care when turning the pages as I'm worried I might rip or bend them. When they come out of the page they create a magical three-dimensional fairy world that will draw the reader in and enchant them with its cuteness and mischief :-)

[Reading For Funs · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Find Flower Fairies is an incredibly beautiful book, and it is one of my favorites on my bookshelf. It is so lovely to look at, and the artwork is just as stunning on the inside as it is on the cover. I received this book as a gift for my twenty-first birthday after a slight misunderstanding from a family member. They thought I collected fairy items when I collect dragon items instead. However, after one moment of seeing this book in my hands, I was quickly converted to team fairy. I can lose myself for an afternoon exploring all the pop-ups and the information around them. This is truly an enjoyable piece of art that anyone who loves fairies should own.

[Yumi Learner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I received my order from the U.K. A couple of weeks ago, I ordered a pop up book about fairies. Since I was a little girl, I have been a huge fan of fairies.

When I received it, I immediately opened the package. The book was beautiful! I especially loved the illustrations! Each page has different details, and I can find lots of fairies. Since I wanted to use the book for my art, I want to collect all fairy pop up books!!! This book made me feel that I want to read it over and over!

[BKarli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous children's pop up book. Magical for both child and adult alike. I really enjoyed flipping through this with my nephew.

[Meagan Marie]

I’m buying these books for my future kid(s) 🌱🧚

[ʀ ᴀ ᴄ ʜ ☽]

Read this when I was a child and it was my favourite book about fairies!

[Alana (semi ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eeeep! A new favorite for my collection. Time to scout for flower fairies!

[Rebecca Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of whimsy 🧚‍♀️

[Abigail Yow · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful pop-up a book! Each page is crafted with so much detail and love; and it complements the story perfectly. For your information, this book is engineered by a different person, not by way of the original author. But the story and writing is indeed Ms. Cicely Mary Barker's. So don't let that bother you too much. Besides, I'm sure the intricate spreads with its stunning trees, playful fairies, dainty-looking flowers, booklets and missives will make up for whatever suspicion you have and enthrall you.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

great interactive pop up book lots of small details to look explore with your children. “Children, the knowledge that I am passing to you is precious and must be carefully guarded…” Every page unlocks the secrets behind the magical places the fairies call home. Five eye-popping spreads include intricate three-dimensional pop-up images of flowers and trees that magically open up to reveal the secret homes of the fairies. Lift-the- flaps, booklets, maps and other ephemera leading up to a stunning surprise on the final spread.

[James Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a pop-up book showing various places fairies live. It starts with a small photo album of fairy photos. Then comes the places where fairies live, including in the tree tops, the forest floor, in the garden, by the wayside, and the marsh. Each of these has a pop-up section that is beautifully done. The back inside cover of the book has a pop-up of an older-style camera showing a fairy in the viewfinder. This is a fascinating book that a person can spend quite a bit of time examining.

[Charity · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has inspired many hours of searching, but flowers are all I find. Never fear I won't give up! I have never not loved a Cicely Mary Barker fairy book. The wonder and magic brought to life in every page make this a marvel to experience.

[Amber Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing pop-up book! I have never seen such beautiful illustrations! A cute (Look-to-see) book, written for (4th grade+) due to cursive writing and larger words, this book is a magical "dream" book that is sure to surprise and wonder children!!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pop ups and hide and seek fairy friends make this so fun!

[Flora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic- Each pop-up was so intricate that each new angle you looked at it you'd see something new!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't care if this is a childrens book, I love it!

[Elevetha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute companion pop up book to the "Flower Fairies" series by Cicely Mary Barker.

[Juliette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may be the coolest pop-up book of all time. Barker's fairy art is fantastically replicated in magical 3-D form. Thanks for this awesome book, Mom!

[Annie Mckenna]

Our little girl loves these!

[Conquering · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated book for any fairy believer!

[Victoria Grusing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully done. It is full of Fairies and little surprises. A perfect Mothers' Day gift from my daughter.

[Jennifer Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Fairy Pop-up ever! I totally agree.