Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real

Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real

The true story of British cousins who fooled the world for more than 60 years with a remarkable hoax, photographs of “real” fairies. Exquisitely illustrated with art by Eliza Wheeler as well as the original photos taken by the girls. In 1917, in Cottingley, England, a girl named Elsie took a picture of her younger cousin, Frances. Also in the photo was a group of fairies, fairies that the girls insisted were real. Through a remarkable set of circumstances, that photograph and the ones that followed came to be widely believed as evidence of real fairies. It was not until 1983 that the girls, then late in life, confessed that the Cottingley Fairies were a hoax. Their take is an extraordinary slice of history, from a time when anything in a photograph was assumed to be fact and it was possible to trick an eager public into believing something magical. Exquisitely illustrated with art and the original fairy photographs. Gr 2–4—In 1917, two English cousins named Elsie and Francis claimed to have seen fairies in the woods near their home. When their parents refused to believe them, they took their father's brand-new camera to photograph the fae. For the next several decades, this "proof" sparked intrigue and debate about whether fairies were real, or if the girls had pulled off an ingenious deception. Nobleman's text is a rich overview of this bizarre historical controversy; he deftly navigates topics like childhood in the early 20th century, the media and the influence of celebrity culture, and the history of photography, without ever weighing down the central narrative. Wheeler's illustrations are colorful and evocative and effectively propel the action of the story forward through the decades it covers. They also combine seamlessly with the actual photographs, which are included in the text, enabling readers to examine the images for themselves. VERDICT A strong nonfiction choice that manages to present the actual events and illustrate more broadly the 20th century.—Maryanne Olson, Queens Borough Public Library, NY "A fascinating introduction to one of the greatest hoaxes of all time, deftly pitched to elementary-age children." - Kirkus Reviews "This recounting of a fanciful, enchanting fraud will leave younger children guessing until the end, and many more readers will embrace the suspension of disbelief." - Publishers Weekly "Nobleman’s text is a rich overview of this bizarre historical controversy; he deftly navigates topics [...] without ever weighing down the central narrative." - School Library Journal  "With a crisp and engaging style, Nobleman relates this fascinating story, providing ample context for readers by presenting information about the attitudes and conditions of early-twentieth-century England." - Horn Book Magazine "Part accidental trickster tale, part unforgettable fairy tale, all true, this will have kids reaching for cameras of their own in no time." - Booklist Marc Tyler Nobleman  writes books for all ages. His titles include  Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story ,  Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World That Fairies Are Real ,  Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman , and  Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman,  which inspired both the Hulu feature documentary  Batman & Bill  and a TED Talk. Follow him on Twitter @MarcTNobleman and on Instagram @MarcTNobleman. Eliza Wheeler has illustrated several picture books including  Miss Maple’s Seeds , which she also wrote and which debuted on the  NYT bestseller list, and Wherever You Go , written by Pat Zietlow Miller, a Crystal Kite winner. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Visit her online at wheelerstudio.com, and on Twitter and Instagram at @WheelerStudio.