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Investigators of the Unknown #1
The Gold Dust Letters
Mystified by the strange sparkly messages they receive on the mantel every night, Angela and her friends learn the story of a lonely fairy who longs to communicate with humans, and the girls plan an investigative sleepover party. Reprint.
128 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1994
3 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Janet Taylor Lisle
43 books49 followersJanet Taylor Lisle was born in Englewood, New Jersey, and grew up in Farmington, Connecticut, spending summers on the Rhode Island coast.The eldest child and only daughter of an advertising executive and an architect, she attended local schools and at fifteen entered The Ethel Walker School, a girl’s boarding school in Simsbury, Connecticut.
After graduation from Smith College, she joined VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). She lived and worked for the next several years in Atlanta, Georgia, organizing food-buying cooperatives in the city’s public housing projects, and teaching in an early-childcare center. She later enrolled in journalism courses at Georgia State University. This was the beginning of a reporting career that extended over the next ten years.
With the birth of her daughter, Lisle turned from journalism to writing projects she could accomplish at home. In 1984, The Dancing Cats of Appesap, her first novel for children, was published by Bradbury Press (Macmillan.) Subsequently, she has published sixteen other novels. Her fourth novel, Afternoon of the Elves (Orchard Books) won a 1990 Newbery Honor award and was adapted as a play by the Seattle Children’s Theater in 1993. It continues to be performed throughout the U.S. Theater productions of the story have also been mounted in Australia and The Netherlands.
Lisle’s novels for children have received Italy’s Premio Andersen Award, Holland’s Zilveren Griffel, and Notable and Best Book distinction from the American Library Association, among other honors. She lives with her husband, Richard Lisle, on the Rhode Island coast, the scene for Black Duck(2006), The Crying Rocks (2003) and The Art of Keeping Cool, which won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 2001.
After graduation from Smith College, she joined VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). She lived and worked for the next several years in Atlanta, Georgia, organizing food-buying cooperatives in the city’s public housing projects, and teaching in an early-childcare center. She later enrolled in journalism courses at Georgia State University. This was the beginning of a reporting career that extended over the next ten years.
With the birth of her daughter, Lisle turned from journalism to writing projects she could accomplish at home. In 1984, The Dancing Cats of Appesap, her first novel for children, was published by Bradbury Press (Macmillan.) Subsequently, she has published sixteen other novels. Her fourth novel, Afternoon of the Elves (Orchard Books) won a 1990 Newbery Honor award and was adapted as a play by the Seattle Children’s Theater in 1993. It continues to be performed throughout the U.S. Theater productions of the story have also been mounted in Australia and The Netherlands.
Lisle’s novels for children have received Italy’s Premio Andersen Award, Holland’s Zilveren Griffel, and Notable and Best Book distinction from the American Library Association, among other honors. She lives with her husband, Richard Lisle, on the Rhode Island coast, the scene for Black Duck(2006), The Crying Rocks (2003) and The Art of Keeping Cool, which won the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 2001.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 11, 2019
This is one of the books I kept from my childhood, and I recently had an urge to revisit it. My childhood best friend gifted me this book at age 9 or 10 (the same age as the characters in the book). I was enchanted by the gorgeous cover alone but the story itself proved to be intriguing. The story didn't disappoint then and it doesn't now. There is something both intensely comforting and inspiring about escaping into childhood favorites, especially the ones that hold up to this day.
Three young friends set out to investigate a strange and fantastical occurrence that happens at night in one of their living rooms. Angela is the recipient of mysterious letters - whimsically inscribed in purple ink on old-fashioned parchment and tied with a gold thread - supposedly from a faerie named Pilaria. Young Angela and her two best friends - the skeptical Georgina and the dreamy Poco - are determined to find out who or what is behind these letters. This story line runs in parallel with a description of Angela's troubled home life; she has an awkward, tense relationship with her hot-tempered, workaholic father and her parents are on the edge of divorce.
The aspect that truly appealed to me about this book is the focus on the hidden, unseen, and invisible. "Pilaria" describes her world as invisible to humans and there is much description on how the work of her fellow fairies affects the world of humans in subtle and mysterious ways. I truly appreciate how the author's writing style; it is both intelligent and accessible (given that her audience is children). This book makes me intensely nostalgic because the activities of Angela and her friends reminds me of how, as children in the 90s, my best friend and I were constantly running around, exploring, inventing fantasy realms, and trying to find some secret door or gate to an unseen alternate world. (My rating obviously has some personal bias.)
The scene that finally revealed Pilaria's origins and nature is gorgeously written and executed and, once again, transports me back to childhood when the ordinary and mundane could be transformed into something fantastical and otherwordly. I see that some reviewers found the true identity of Pilaria to be disappointing and even creepy. I couldn't disagree more; this character's motivations made perfect sense to me and connected very well with earlier parts of the story.
All of the mystical elements are found to have a basis in reality, but there is one occurrence that remains unable to be explained - the shimmering, ephemeral gold dust that falls from the letters as soon as they are opened, which disappears immediately after. I was delighted by the author's decision to include at least one inexplicable phenomenon, although if my elementary school memory serves me correctly, this is a common theme in her books. Also, Angela's family problems that were present throughout the book didn't get solved by fairy dust -they are very much still there, and need to be dealt with, but it seems that Angela is a little better equipped to face them now. I feel this is a much better perspective for children to read as opposed to a saccharine happy ending where everything gets tied up neatly in a bow.
Three young friends set out to investigate a strange and fantastical occurrence that happens at night in one of their living rooms. Angela is the recipient of mysterious letters - whimsically inscribed in purple ink on old-fashioned parchment and tied with a gold thread - supposedly from a faerie named Pilaria. Young Angela and her two best friends - the skeptical Georgina and the dreamy Poco - are determined to find out who or what is behind these letters. This story line runs in parallel with a description of Angela's troubled home life; she has an awkward, tense relationship with her hot-tempered, workaholic father and her parents are on the edge of divorce.
The aspect that truly appealed to me about this book is the focus on the hidden, unseen, and invisible. "Pilaria" describes her world as invisible to humans and there is much description on how the work of her fellow fairies affects the world of humans in subtle and mysterious ways. I truly appreciate how the author's writing style; it is both intelligent and accessible (given that her audience is children). This book makes me intensely nostalgic because the activities of Angela and her friends reminds me of how, as children in the 90s, my best friend and I were constantly running around, exploring, inventing fantasy realms, and trying to find some secret door or gate to an unseen alternate world. (My rating obviously has some personal bias.)
The scene that finally revealed Pilaria's origins and nature is gorgeously written and executed and, once again, transports me back to childhood when the ordinary and mundane could be transformed into something fantastical and otherwordly. I see that some reviewers found the true identity of Pilaria to be disappointing and even creepy. I couldn't disagree more; this character's motivations made perfect sense to me and connected very well with earlier parts of the story.
All of the mystical elements are found to have a basis in reality, but there is one occurrence that remains unable to be explained - the shimmering, ephemeral gold dust that falls from the letters as soon as they are opened, which disappears immediately after. I was delighted by the author's decision to include at least one inexplicable phenomenon, although if my elementary school memory serves me correctly, this is a common theme in her books. Also, Angela's family problems that were present throughout the book didn't get solved by fairy dust -they are very much still there, and need to be dealt with, but it seems that Angela is a little better equipped to face them now. I feel this is a much better perspective for children to read as opposed to a saccharine happy ending where everything gets tied up neatly in a bow.
July 11, 2017
Angela writes a letter to her fairy godmother, and is surprised when a fairy answers her letters. Angela and her friends become obsessed with reaching out to the fairy, determined to meet her and prove that fairy magic is real.
But this isn't really a story about three girls discovering a fairy; it's actually a story about a girl whose parents might get a divorce, and how she feels estranged from her father, and turns to her friends for comfort and advice.
This book was just sort of okay. The writing is nothing special. The characters are one-dimensional. The plot is boring.
The only interesting thing in the entire book is the girl who talks to animals, or at least she believes she can. And she's obviously disturbed crazy-pants nutso, and not a character that you can relate to, since her animal thing is her only personality trait. She's just the crazy girl in the background talking to squirrels. No depth at all.
I kept hoping that a little fairy magic would finally breathe some life into the story, but then I was even more disappointed in the treacherous ending. There are no magic adventures, only boring sleepovers. The dialogue is so mundane, I want to scream.
But this isn't really a story about three girls discovering a fairy; it's actually a story about a girl whose parents might get a divorce, and how she feels estranged from her father, and turns to her friends for comfort and advice.
This book was just sort of okay. The writing is nothing special. The characters are one-dimensional. The plot is boring.
The only interesting thing in the entire book is the girl who talks to animals, or at least she believes she can. And she's obviously disturbed crazy-pants nutso, and not a character that you can relate to, since her animal thing is her only personality trait. She's just the crazy girl in the background talking to squirrels. No depth at all.
I kept hoping that a little fairy magic would finally breathe some life into the story, but then I was even more disappointed in the treacherous ending. There are no magic adventures, only boring sleepovers. The dialogue is so mundane, I want to scream.
January 29, 2013
Who doesn't love a grand faerie tale? When Angela and her friends discover letters that shed gold dust signed by a faerie, they're transported into a world of magic. The characters offset each other nicely, with one friend inclined to believe in magic, another friend suitably pragmatic, and the third friend believing she communicates with her pets. The three girls set off on a quest to discover the truth behind the letters. However, when dealing with magic, the truth is sometimes hard to find.
This is a delightful story perfect for reading to anyone who wonders if magic and faeries are real. It brings with it a sense of a time long ago, yet it maintains a modern setting. Janet Taylor Lisle has artfully combined magic and realism in this novelette.
When I read it, I was transported back to my own childhood, when faeries were definitely real, and when gold dust would have been the epitome of magic. I highly recommend it.
This is a delightful story perfect for reading to anyone who wonders if magic and faeries are real. It brings with it a sense of a time long ago, yet it maintains a modern setting. Janet Taylor Lisle has artfully combined magic and realism in this novelette.
When I read it, I was transported back to my own childhood, when faeries were definitely real, and when gold dust would have been the epitome of magic. I highly recommend it.
September 26, 2020
The Story Starts with Angela who wrote a letter to the Fairy asking for some Chocolates and 3 close friends set out on an adventure to Investigate.
The Characters in this Book Does not feel like Children Talking - Its like Adults Fighting and Arguing all while long - The Innocence in Children was not found.
At the End Of The Book I was like WHAATTT!!!!!!!!
WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THIS BOOK ABOUT!!! It was not about Fairies.
Sadly the book did not have anything to do with Fairies or Mystical Beings.
The Only take away from this book is the Interesting friend Poco who could speak to Animals.
And Another Take is that the Father Dressed up as a Fairy.
Rating A Sad 1.0
The Characters in this Book Does not feel like Children Talking - Its like Adults Fighting and Arguing all while long - The Innocence in Children was not found.
At the End Of The Book I was like WHAATTT!!!!!!!!
WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THIS BOOK ABOUT!!! It was not about Fairies.
Sadly the book did not have anything to do with Fairies or Mystical Beings.
The Only take away from this book is the Interesting friend Poco who could speak to Animals.
And Another Take is that the Father Dressed up as a Fairy.
Rating A Sad 1.0
October 31, 2021
C. fiction, children's fiction, fantasy, family, friendship; series (Investigators of the Unknown, #1); from stash, discard
January 19, 2022
Nostalgia at its finest! 4.3
March 14, 2013
In my childhood I was filled with creativity and always playing make believe. Books were wonderful (they still are!) but especially books that helped me become even more creative and could sweep me off to magical realms.
During a book fair, I bought Janet Taylor Lisle's book Afternoon of the Elves. I don't quite recall the story as it has been so many years but I do remember how much I loved it and that it was, simply put, magical. When I was presented with The Gold Dust Letters I thought of the previous book I read by Lisle and wanted to see if another book by the author lived up to my memories.
It did.
The Gold Dust Letters was published ages ago but that's neither here nor there. It's a children's book, probably suitable for kids who are able to read short chapter books, and filled with the type of magic I was addicted to as a child.
Angela decides, as children often will decide in such a spur of the moment, to write a letter to a fairy and to her surprise she receives a reply. Much like finding presents on Christmas morning or money under your pillow with the tooth your lost having vanished, the letters from the fairy come while Angela is asleep and seemingly completely by magic.
Enlisting her friends Georgina (who is bossy and rather a realist and doubter of such childish things as magic) and Poco (a strange little girl who swears she speaks to animals) they set out to prove whether or not Pilaria (our fairy friend) exists.
Amongst the excitement of fairy magic there are real life situations that our dear friend Angela has to deal with. Her parents' marriage seems to be falling apart and Angela's father seems cold and distant. Not fully understanding what is going on, Angela distances herself from her father but it's obvious that the events in her family bother her. I recall as a child in elementary school a lot of children's parents going through divorces or having marital struggles. I don't know if it is common for that to happen when children or that age but as I was reading this book I wondered what my friends would have thought in third or fourth grade if they had this book to read.
There is certainly a destruction then rebuilding of the relationship between Angela and her father which is comforting and sweet and while things may not end perfectly at the end of this tale the girls still have magic in their hearts and their friendship is better than ever.
I approve of any book that handles multiple situations that can capture the attention of a child, especially something as confusing as seeing your parents slowly separate or work through issues. Adding magic to it, and that the magic never fully goes away, is something to help balance that.
While this book didn't sweep me off as Afternoon of the Elves did when I was a child, I imagine it would have if I was still that young.
Note: I received this as from NetGalley, courtesy of Open Road. I received no monetary gain from reviewing this book.
During a book fair, I bought Janet Taylor Lisle's book Afternoon of the Elves. I don't quite recall the story as it has been so many years but I do remember how much I loved it and that it was, simply put, magical. When I was presented with The Gold Dust Letters I thought of the previous book I read by Lisle and wanted to see if another book by the author lived up to my memories.
It did.
The Gold Dust Letters was published ages ago but that's neither here nor there. It's a children's book, probably suitable for kids who are able to read short chapter books, and filled with the type of magic I was addicted to as a child.
Angela decides, as children often will decide in such a spur of the moment, to write a letter to a fairy and to her surprise she receives a reply. Much like finding presents on Christmas morning or money under your pillow with the tooth your lost having vanished, the letters from the fairy come while Angela is asleep and seemingly completely by magic.
Enlisting her friends Georgina (who is bossy and rather a realist and doubter of such childish things as magic) and Poco (a strange little girl who swears she speaks to animals) they set out to prove whether or not Pilaria (our fairy friend) exists.
Amongst the excitement of fairy magic there are real life situations that our dear friend Angela has to deal with. Her parents' marriage seems to be falling apart and Angela's father seems cold and distant. Not fully understanding what is going on, Angela distances herself from her father but it's obvious that the events in her family bother her. I recall as a child in elementary school a lot of children's parents going through divorces or having marital struggles. I don't know if it is common for that to happen when children or that age but as I was reading this book I wondered what my friends would have thought in third or fourth grade if they had this book to read.
There is certainly a destruction then rebuilding of the relationship between Angela and her father which is comforting and sweet and while things may not end perfectly at the end of this tale the girls still have magic in their hearts and their friendship is better than ever.
I approve of any book that handles multiple situations that can capture the attention of a child, especially something as confusing as seeing your parents slowly separate or work through issues. Adding magic to it, and that the magic never fully goes away, is something to help balance that.
While this book didn't sweep me off as Afternoon of the Elves did when I was a child, I imagine it would have if I was still that young.
Note: I received this as from NetGalley, courtesy of Open Road. I received no monetary gain from reviewing this book.
June 11, 2010
It all starts with a letter. Angela decides to write to her fairy godmother. Angela's that kind of girl. She still believes in magic. Her belief is validated when her fairy godmother writes back. Written on parchment paper with purple ink, the letter sheds gold dust whenever it's open. But what does the letter say?
"With great honor I present myself: Pilaria of the Kingdom of Faeries, Eighth Tribe, Fourth Earth, Under the Sun-Star Aravan, May It Shine on Our Land Forever and Ever.
ANGELA HARRELL:
Your message has been received. Unfortunately, boxes of chocolates like the one you requested have long been out of stock. A hundred years ago they were all the rage, but fashions change. The kingdom has not filled such an order in fifty or sixty years and no longer prepares them. We are sorry that we cannot grant your wish in this matter.
Respectfully,
The Gray-Eyed Faerie,
PILARIA"
With the help of her friends Georgina (doubter of magic) and Poco (talker to animals), Angela sets out to discover more about the Pilaria and the fairy kingdom.
What I thought: This was a delightful book. I was pleased to learn that it is the first in a series. The other books are Looking for Juliette, A Message from the Match Girl, and Angela's Aliens. Angela's belief in magic is what made this book so enchanting. After all, believing is seeing, right?
"With great honor I present myself: Pilaria of the Kingdom of Faeries, Eighth Tribe, Fourth Earth, Under the Sun-Star Aravan, May It Shine on Our Land Forever and Ever.
ANGELA HARRELL:
Your message has been received. Unfortunately, boxes of chocolates like the one you requested have long been out of stock. A hundred years ago they were all the rage, but fashions change. The kingdom has not filled such an order in fifty or sixty years and no longer prepares them. We are sorry that we cannot grant your wish in this matter.
Respectfully,
The Gray-Eyed Faerie,
PILARIA"
With the help of her friends Georgina (doubter of magic) and Poco (talker to animals), Angela sets out to discover more about the Pilaria and the fairy kingdom.
What I thought: This was a delightful book. I was pleased to learn that it is the first in a series. The other books are Looking for Juliette, A Message from the Match Girl, and Angela's Aliens. Angela's belief in magic is what made this book so enchanting. After all, believing is seeing, right?
March 13, 2011
This was my absolute favorite book when I was growing up! Angela and her friends write to the fairy Pilaria during their slumber parties, and to their surprise, Pilaria writes them back. I remember becoming so engulfed in this book, and so did my best girlfriends that we even started writing Pilaria fancy letters during our sleepovers, too. It's a great book to show children to follow their imagination, and believe in something simply because it makes you happy. Though I don't want to spoil the ending, you also get a great dose of father/daughter relationship struggles, and how they over come them. This would be a great book for a young girl who is going through a similar situation.
October 15, 2015
This was a good evening read. As soon as I finished I told the story to my kids as a bed time story. I enjoyed the imagination in the communications with the fairy godmother. The best part is the ending. It leaves the mystery solved in a way that is so real life but leaves the magic intact for further dreams.
Perfect!
Perfect!
August 5, 2013
A cute story which seems suited for early elementary children with its more simplistic plot and dialogue. There were too many unanswered questions about the characters and the plot didn't flow well for my taste, but younger children might enjoy this series of books because of the magical element. Although this not a bad story, I would find it hard to recommend.
June 23, 2013
The concept is sound.
The story not so much.
The author really dropped the ball.
This book was a real disapointment.
It really pains me to say since this book is about two of my favourite things magic and fairies although in all fairness it is hard to find a good fairy book.
The story not so much.
The author really dropped the ball.
This book was a real disapointment.
It really pains me to say since this book is about two of my favourite things magic and fairies although in all fairness it is hard to find a good fairy book.
March 19, 2011
Another book by Janet Taylor Lisle
May 23, 2011
Again, this was one of my favorite books growing up. I loved it so much when I was about 9 or 10. Such a fun book for girls.
April 13, 2016
While this book is a little juvenile for myself, it was an adorable story.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews