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Oakwing: A Fairy's Tale
A twelve-year-old girl finds herself on an epic adventure of tiny proportions after she’s magically transformed into a fairy in this stunning debut novel from EJ Clarke.
Rowan’s mother went missing seven years ago. On the anniversary of her disappearance, Rowan cries herself to sleep beneath their favorite tree in Hyde Park, in the very heart of London. When she wakes up she’s tiny…and has wings.
She uncovers a hidden world of fairies and foxes, and sets out on a perilous journey to find the one person she misses more than any other. With new friends by her side and fierce enemies at her heels, she’ll discover powers she never imagined, and a courage she never knew she had.
Rowan’s mother went missing seven years ago. On the anniversary of her disappearance, Rowan cries herself to sleep beneath their favorite tree in Hyde Park, in the very heart of London. When she wakes up she’s tiny…and has wings.
She uncovers a hidden world of fairies and foxes, and sets out on a perilous journey to find the one person she misses more than any other. With new friends by her side and fierce enemies at her heels, she’ll discover powers she never imagined, and a courage she never knew she had.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 2016
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122 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 21, 2016
Rowan lives in a block of flats in London, with her little sister, Willow. Her beloved mother went missing some years before – so long ago now that little Willow does not really remember her. Meanwhile, Rowan is relentlessly bullied by local girls and her father is really not coping since their mother went to Hyde Park on her own, seven years ago to the day we begin this story, and never came back. So Rowan has to cope – she has to get her little sister ready for school, she cannot ride a bike, or swim, as her father has never taught her and she is a little lost and very lonely herself.
School is over and so, left to her own devices, Rowan goes to Hyde Park on the seventh anniversary of her mother’s disappearance and wakes up as a fairy. This is a modern fairy story and set in a very modern London. The London my own daughter lives in and she delighted in recognising all the places mentioned; although that is not necessary to the enjoyment of the story.
This is about a girl who wants nothing more than to find her mother. There is the promise of a sequel at the end of the book, so – without giving any spoilers – this is not a simple story, with easy answers. However, it is a magical and very exciting book, probably of more enjoyment to girls than boys, and a modern fairy tale. I enjoyed the idea of fairies in Hyde Park, of danger and excitement, and liked the character of Rowan. My daughter is very keen to read on and I think this will appeal to girls who enjoy books which are a little dark and ambiguous. This is a main character who lives on a housing estate and to bring fairies into her life is a touch of genius. Probably aimed at ages 8+, this is a very interesting read.
School is over and so, left to her own devices, Rowan goes to Hyde Park on the seventh anniversary of her mother’s disappearance and wakes up as a fairy. This is a modern fairy story and set in a very modern London. The London my own daughter lives in and she delighted in recognising all the places mentioned; although that is not necessary to the enjoyment of the story.
This is about a girl who wants nothing more than to find her mother. There is the promise of a sequel at the end of the book, so – without giving any spoilers – this is not a simple story, with easy answers. However, it is a magical and very exciting book, probably of more enjoyment to girls than boys, and a modern fairy tale. I enjoyed the idea of fairies in Hyde Park, of danger and excitement, and liked the character of Rowan. My daughter is very keen to read on and I think this will appeal to girls who enjoy books which are a little dark and ambiguous. This is a main character who lives on a housing estate and to bring fairies into her life is a touch of genius. Probably aimed at ages 8+, this is a very interesting read.
June 8, 2017
Even though this is a juvenile novel it's more a parable about building hope. I highly recommend this book.
August 5, 2024
Such a wonderful book! Rowan's story is sooo interesting and captivating, and really kept my eyes glued to the book! The Fairy Realms in which she accidentally falls into are so wonderful and magical, I just loved everything about this story! Rowan is an amazing character and I loved her so much, and I am very anxious to read the sequel to this wonderful story full of magic and adventure.
June 8, 2022
This is a 3.5-4 star book. I like this one better then the second. (Read my review of the second). It’s a cute, fun story.
February 1, 2022
The plot was fun and exciting, and we all liked the characters with the distinct exception of the disappeared mom who inspires the whole story. She was... lackluster. Not as brave as her 10 year old daughter and not showing all that much determination to reunite her family. Which, as a mom, was disappointing for me.
February 19, 2018
Notes:
I read this and couldn't get into it, storyline or author's style but my 11 year old daughter liked it a lot. she did say it wasn't well-written though. the rating is hers, not mine, since that's how I rate kids books.
I read this and couldn't get into it, storyline or author's style but my 11 year old daughter liked it a lot. she did say it wasn't well-written though. the rating is hers, not mine, since that's how I rate kids books.
April 6, 2018
Fast paced and full of action. A little too face paced for me. I wish there were more moments to take things in. Cute characters. Totally took me back to my childhood and my love for fairies, magic, and adventure. I really appreciated the thoughts this brought up. Like what does it mean to feel loved vs needed? Looking forward the next one!
Definitely recommend to children ages 8 - 12 years old.
Definitely recommend to children ages 8 - 12 years old.
September 1, 2017
This book simply could not keep my attention - that was true from beginning to end. For me the story and concept are extremely unbelievable, even for a middle grade fantasy book. And I find the character of the mother very unsettling. I'm sure there's a lesson being taught, but I wasn't quite able to grasp it.
April 15, 2018
This is a great book to read with kids at bedtime. My 9-year-old was captivated (I was too). Full of imagination and magic. We read this right after a David Williams book and Rowan left the Billionaire Boy in the wake of her powerful fluttering wings.
December 17, 2018
Rowan’s mom goes missing after they spent the day near the Elfin Tree in Hyde Park. Seven years later Rowan goes back to the same tree and ends up as a fairy. A fun adventure story with a female lead for young children. And written by my family’s neighbor in London!
August 23, 2021
The girls got this book from our library's book sale and thought it looked like fun! We enjoyed it and they rated it 3 stars and 4 stars, so we rounded up. Mom vote would be 3 stars, it was imaginative but kind of skimmed along without a ton of depth.
June 29, 2022
Such a lovely story. My 8 year old really enjoyed it and we’re looking forward to reading the second one.
September 26, 2016
Review by 11 year old:
Rowan, an 11 year old schoolgirl, cries onto a beech tree in Kensington Gardens and supernaturally shrinks into a fairy. She wants to escape and become human again, but has to find the secret behind the Heart of Oak to do so. She goes in search of her mother, who disappeared 7 years earlier, and makes new acquaintances who help her in her perilous adventures. On finally finding her mother, she has to leave her to return to her father and sister to tell them she is okay and she loves them. In order to leave, Rowan has to single-handedly overcome Vulpes, a male fairy, who wants more power than others. A wonderful book, with an open ending … I can’t wait for the sequel!
Review by 9 year old:
A magical story with adventure, set in the well-known parks of London. Rowan Oakwing, like any other fairy, has no way back to her former human self. Her only chance is if she can find the Heart of Oak … but only the most powerful fairy has the Heart of Oak. On dangerous adventures, Rowan travels through the fairy realms to find her missing mother and the Heart of Oak. She acquires tremendous courage, transforms into birds and animals and finally manages to overcome her enemy and return home to her father and sister. A fantastic book! I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel!
Rowan, an 11 year old schoolgirl, cries onto a beech tree in Kensington Gardens and supernaturally shrinks into a fairy. She wants to escape and become human again, but has to find the secret behind the Heart of Oak to do so. She goes in search of her mother, who disappeared 7 years earlier, and makes new acquaintances who help her in her perilous adventures. On finally finding her mother, she has to leave her to return to her father and sister to tell them she is okay and she loves them. In order to leave, Rowan has to single-handedly overcome Vulpes, a male fairy, who wants more power than others. A wonderful book, with an open ending … I can’t wait for the sequel!
Review by 9 year old:
A magical story with adventure, set in the well-known parks of London. Rowan Oakwing, like any other fairy, has no way back to her former human self. Her only chance is if she can find the Heart of Oak … but only the most powerful fairy has the Heart of Oak. On dangerous adventures, Rowan travels through the fairy realms to find her missing mother and the Heart of Oak. She acquires tremendous courage, transforms into birds and animals and finally manages to overcome her enemy and return home to her father and sister. A fantastic book! I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel!
March 25, 2017
I bought this book for my daughter Eloise (10) who adored it. I'm still a big kid myself, so I loved it too. As a reader, I enjoyed the way E.J. Clarke manages to take familiar elements and create something unique, original, moving and entertaining. A rare combination!
As a parent, it's great to find a book like this, which conveys positive values I'd like my daughters to embrace: self-confidence, resilience and hope. It's an empowering story for an 8-12 year-old to experience; beyond the excellent entertainment value, it also provides meaningful content and explores rich themes.
Here is my daughter's review:
"I loved Rowan Oakwing! You drift into the fairy world and forget about everything else. Your imagination flows and the story is heart warming and emotional. I can't wait to read the next book and drift into the magic world once again. I hope in the future Rowan Oakwing will be made into a film. I'll watch it over and over again. E.J. Clarke has such a great imagination and great creativity."
As a parent, it's great to find a book like this, which conveys positive values I'd like my daughters to embrace: self-confidence, resilience and hope. It's an empowering story for an 8-12 year-old to experience; beyond the excellent entertainment value, it also provides meaningful content and explores rich themes.
Here is my daughter's review:
"I loved Rowan Oakwing! You drift into the fairy world and forget about everything else. Your imagination flows and the story is heart warming and emotional. I can't wait to read the next book and drift into the magic world once again. I hope in the future Rowan Oakwing will be made into a film. I'll watch it over and over again. E.J. Clarke has such a great imagination and great creativity."
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews