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If You See a Fairy Ring

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“If you see a fairy ring,
In a field of grass,
Very lightly step around,
Tiptoe as you pass. . . .”

A rich combination of enchanting verse and magical color illustrations make this a truly unusual and attractive book for younger children. The easy and accessible poems—all of them written by major literary figures—share a common fairies and fairyland. Ingenious paper engineering produces illustrated images that change in their details as kids turn the pages. For example, a morning woodland scene becomes a moonlit fairy party when its gatefold is opened. The verses are by Robert Graves, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and several other memorable writers. Robert Graves offers the short, delightful verse, “I’d Love to be a Fairy’s Child,” and several poets, including Steven Kroll and Thomas Hood, present poems about fairies that visit children in their dreams. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “The Sunshine Fairies,” and Juliana Horatia Ewing’s “The Rainbow Fairies” associate fairy activities with nature and the weather. These are just a few of the many poems that adorn this fine little volume. It will delight and enchant younger children each time they turn its pages.

28 pages, Hardcover

First published September 4, 2007

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5 stars
42 (53%)
4 stars
20 (25%)
3 stars
13 (16%)
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
108 reviews1 follower
October 28, 2021
The artwork is amazing! Beautiful and fun poetry book of fairies. My 2 1/2 year-old and 5 1/2 year-old love the interactive feature of changing the scene of the picture. The poems are a little long and abstract but my kids did just fine with them because the illustrations detail the imagery of the words so well.
79 reviews
February 19, 2015
I love the poems in this book, as well as the pictures. The pages fold out and show a hidden picture folded inside, one that contains fairies. The poems are from people the children probably don't know, but most are well known to older people. The day dream of fairies is such an old childhood theme. It is so magical to think that there are little people "painting faces on the roses." I read some of these to my 14 year old son, and even he enjoyed them. You are never too old or too young for poetry!
23 reviews
October 4, 2025
Anthology of pre-21st C fairy poetry, most pages with sliding panels that change the pictures. This is a stellar concept for a young child’s poetry book - they’re so busy playing with the pictures that you get a chance to read them the poems.
The illustrations are very cutesy-pretty in the tradition of Cicely Mary Barker (aren’t they all) but less good (aren’t they all). They're not my style but they do a fantastic job of illustrating the poems.
S and I were so excited by this that he begged and I agreed to bring it into the bath with us for a third re-read.

Poems are:
I’d love to be a fairy’s child - Robert Graves (banger)
The sunshine fairies - Laura Ingalls Wilder
If you see a fairy ring - Shakespeare (I’m manifesting absorbing this along with Goodnight Moon and Where’s My Hat so I can whip it out when we see a fairy ring)
Have you ever watched the fairies - Rose Fyleman
Fairy Shoes - Annette Wynne
The Rainbow Fairies - Juliana Horatia Ewing
Fairies - Rose Fyleman
The Child and the Fairies - anonymous (these last two are excerpts)
The Fairy Dew Drop - Laura Ingalls Wilder (dewdrops as fairies. I love it)
Sleep Song - Steven Kroll
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
836 reviews
August 17, 2020
Pictures are pretty but poems are old. All are classic poems, told in a traditional format, some with words no little child will ever understand. It was tiring and my child wouldn't sit through it and even I got drowsy finishing it. Fairies are such wondrous creatures - it'd be nice to read fun, upbeat poems about them. The setup and illustrations are cool though. "Dream Fairy" by Thomas Hood was probably my favorite
Profile Image for Chloe Richardson.
108 reviews1 follower
January 29, 2019
Lovely poems. The range of poems and authors, as well as the moving scenes, allows for the book to be used in both KS1 and KS2 classrooms. It can be used as a great introduction to the literary canon of those such as Shakespeare.
Profile Image for Gregor Lawrence.
13 reviews
July 1, 2024
My 3 year old loves it! She asks me to read it almost everyday. The artwork is beautiful, and the poems are classic and fun!
13 reviews
March 29, 2013
my daughter got this book for her birthday, it has beautiful illustrations and a variety of fairy based poems.
I used this book in my year 4 class during d&t. This book as moving scenes on most pages, making it great use as reference while we were making our own moving books. I also used it while reading with a child with ASD, he loved seeing the pictures moved and the colours used in the illustrations.
This book would be great in ks1 and for SEN children.
3 reviews
January 8, 2009
when you see this book you think that its just some little toddlers pop-up book, but my aunt got this for me, and i love it. it has poems about fairies from famous authers, such as shakespear, laura wilder, and so much more! the drawings are amazing, they always inspire me to do my own! i definetly recomend this book.
Profile Image for Kaethe.
6,572 reviews531 followers
July 8, 2014
Who knew there was a rich treasury of classic fairy poems? I couldn't name one, and I'm good at titles. Pretty pictures, it's likely to lure the fairy-obsessed, and it makes a change from Disney or Daisy Meadows.
14 reviews
October 18, 2014
A book of poetry by various poets with a common subject matter. it is Beautifully illustrated with soft pastel watercolors and a fun magic window of changing illustrations. nice introduction into poetry for all grades.
Profile Image for Rosie.
38 reviews4 followers
May 8, 2014
You will love this book if you like fairy. It's a poetry book Susanna Lockheart's irresistible watercolours accompany this beautiful collection of poems
Profile Image for Aeidan.
6 reviews
May 9, 2014
If you like poetry this would be a good book to read
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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