What do you think?
Rate this book
Old Oak Wood series #3
The Faeries of Spring Cottage
While searching for shelter from a rainstorm, a little faery named Sneezle is pursued by a band of strange creatures with wooden swords. They're not faeries, they're not goblins...in fact, he doesn't know what they are. With their long sticklike limbs, gnarled faces, and mouths full of knife-sharp teeth, they aren't like anything the denizens of Old Oak Wood have ever seen. Sneezle barely escapes, but another band of the ugly little creatures chases him out of the safety of the woods. Fleeing for his life, the little faery is forced to find refuge in a place that is almost as frightening as the stick men themselves -- in an old stone cottage at the edge of the forest. It is here that Sneezle must confront his greatest adventure and biggest fear.
In The Faeries of Spring Cottage, fans of young Sneezle will be delighted to see that their reluctant hero is journeying out of Old Oak Wood (even if it is against his will) and encountering humans for the first time, as well as other enchanting, mysterious -- and sometimes scary -- new beings. This dazzling collaboration between renowned doll maker Wendy Froud and award-winning writer Terri Windling introduces a host of magical new characters, including a strange faery court beneath a kitchen sink, rat-faery warriors, and faery dolls that magically come to life. Art-directed by Brian Froud, creator of Good Faeries/Bad Faeries, this latest volume in the Sneezle series captures the diminutive hero on his latest adventure in vivid detail.
Following the success of Wendy Froud and Terri Windling's first two Sneezle stories, A Midsummer Night's Faery Tale and The Winter Child, this new volume opens the magical window of enchantment once more with an extraordinary combination of story and art. The Faeries of Spring Cottage is destined to charm and captivate lovers of fairy tales, fantasy literature, and all things Froudian.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
149 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Froud
19 books55 followers Wendy Froud has been a doll maker since the age of five. As soon as she could bend a pipe cleaner and tape bits of fabric together she began to make the kind of dolls she couldn't buy. Dolls of centaurs and satyrs, unicorns and faeries, all to populated her childhood world. She continues to do so to this day.
Wendy worked as sculptor and puppet builder for Jim Henson for many years, primarily on the films THE DARK CRYSTAL, LABYRINTH and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. She sculpted "Jen" and "Kira" for THE DARK CRYSTAL and fabricated "Yoda" for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Other work for Jim Henson included THE MUPPET SHOW and THE MUPPET MOVIE. In addition to her film projects, Wendy has also made puppets for use in television commercials.
Wendy's dolls and figures are highly sought after and are in many prestigious collections around the world. She now devotes most of her time to making dolls and figures for exhibition and sale throughout the US and England. Her work has been featured in three books created with fantasy author Terri Windling: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S FAERY TALE, THE WINTER CHILD and THE FAERIES OF SPRING COTTAGE. Reproductions of her dolls have been created by Sideshow Collectibles.
Her first book, THE ART OF WENDY FROUD was published in 2006 by Imaginosis. Her latest book with Brian is THE HEART OF FAERIE, a book and card set was published by Abrams Books in 2010.
Wendy lives in Devon, England with her husband Brian Froud.
"I like to think of the figures I make as companions for a personal journey. I try to fill each one with healing energy that responds to the person who owns it, and conversely, I hope that the person who owns it will respond with a true heart connection. I feel that my work is a sign post to the half forgotten world that we all carry inside of us. When people look at my work, I want them to think "Oh, now I remember." If they do that then I know that they have been successful." - Wendy Froud
Wendy worked as sculptor and puppet builder for Jim Henson for many years, primarily on the films THE DARK CRYSTAL, LABYRINTH and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. She sculpted "Jen" and "Kira" for THE DARK CRYSTAL and fabricated "Yoda" for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Other work for Jim Henson included THE MUPPET SHOW and THE MUPPET MOVIE. In addition to her film projects, Wendy has also made puppets for use in television commercials.
Wendy's dolls and figures are highly sought after and are in many prestigious collections around the world. She now devotes most of her time to making dolls and figures for exhibition and sale throughout the US and England. Her work has been featured in three books created with fantasy author Terri Windling: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S FAERY TALE, THE WINTER CHILD and THE FAERIES OF SPRING COTTAGE. Reproductions of her dolls have been created by Sideshow Collectibles.
Her first book, THE ART OF WENDY FROUD was published in 2006 by Imaginosis. Her latest book with Brian is THE HEART OF FAERIE, a book and card set was published by Abrams Books in 2010.
Wendy lives in Devon, England with her husband Brian Froud.
"I like to think of the figures I make as companions for a personal journey. I try to fill each one with healing energy that responds to the person who owns it, and conversely, I hope that the person who owns it will respond with a true heart connection. I feel that my work is a sign post to the half forgotten world that we all carry inside of us. When people look at my work, I want them to think "Oh, now I remember." If they do that then I know that they have been successful." - Wendy Froud
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 10, 2019
You never know where Sneezle's Quests will take him. In the final book of the "Old Oak Wood" series, Sneezle has to face one of his biggest fears in order to find his way home. Once again, the story and pictures give us a window into a magical world that isn't nearly as far away as we might think. I highly recommend this trilogy not just for children but for anyone who Believes that we all need a bit of wonder in our lives.
May 30, 2022
What an enjoyable read!
The story is amazingly well written and the visuals where absolutely stunning. I found myself looking at the photography just as much as I did reading the words, trying to find all the hidden little elements as though I were working through an I-Spy book!
You can clearly tell that a lot of love went into this children's book, and I highly recommend it!
The story is amazingly well written and the visuals where absolutely stunning. I found myself looking at the photography just as much as I did reading the words, trying to find all the hidden little elements as though I were working through an I-Spy book!
You can clearly tell that a lot of love went into this children's book, and I highly recommend it!
July 1, 2016
Sneezle is a root faery with a penchant for getting into trouble. In this continuation of his adventures, first started in A Midsummer Night’s Faery Tale, he gets involved with a bunch of house faeries, some kind, some mischievous and some severely deluded, and a human girl sorely in need of comforting.
While the faeries of the Old Oak Wood have no need for nor concern with humans, the ones in the cottage suffer greatly when the one human being who believes in them becomes sick and is removed from her home. They need someone to intercede for them and Sneezle proves just the faery for the job.
Sneezle is bolder than he realizes and smarter than he knows. He’s brave but willing to take to his heels if danger threatens. His adventures contain just enough danger to be exciting and enough whimsy to make you smile. His encounter with a human child is gratifying to read while avoiding the perils of being saccharine. This book does just what you would hope for in any series about a main character—it expands their world and raises the level of their challenges.
The illustrations of imagined creatures by Wendy Froud are as wonderful to behold and are a seamless fit with Terri Windling’s writing. Someone once said that all the world is made of stories and Sneezle’s tale is a perfect addition.
While the faeries of the Old Oak Wood have no need for nor concern with humans, the ones in the cottage suffer greatly when the one human being who believes in them becomes sick and is removed from her home. They need someone to intercede for them and Sneezle proves just the faery for the job.
Sneezle is bolder than he realizes and smarter than he knows. He’s brave but willing to take to his heels if danger threatens. His adventures contain just enough danger to be exciting and enough whimsy to make you smile. His encounter with a human child is gratifying to read while avoiding the perils of being saccharine. This book does just what you would hope for in any series about a main character—it expands their world and raises the level of their challenges.
The illustrations of imagined creatures by Wendy Froud are as wonderful to behold and are a seamless fit with Terri Windling’s writing. Someone once said that all the world is made of stories and Sneezle’s tale is a perfect addition.
February 2, 2012
Cute story; wonderful illustrations
January 7, 2017
a beautiful, sweet picture book :)
July 29, 2016
This book has such beautiful illustrations!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews