From wands, wings and fairy things to beauty products, fairy food and dream houses, The Fairy Tale Catalog takes care of all your fairy needs. Create and customize your very own fairy tale, attend a glamorous fairy wedding, raise a magical fairy garden, pick out fun fairy furniture-even take a quiz to find out whether your frog is a prince...or just a frog. The whimsical text paired with Sally Gardners charming illustrations makes this a magical guide to fairy living. Gr. 4-6, somewhat younger for reading aloud. This large-format volume showcases Spirin's illustrations for six of Andersen's most famous fairy tales: "The Ugly Duckling," "Thumbelina," "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Nightingale," "The Princess and the Pea," and "The Little Mermaid." The foreword includes comments on Andersen's life and significance and states that this collection of stories is "drawn from some of the earliest translations of his work." The typeface is rather small, but the book's overall design is handsome. Spirin's artwork, watercolor with colored pencil, creates an atmosphere of grandeur, mystery, and sophisticated beauty. Varying from powerful, double-page spreads to small, decorative cameos, the pictures look formally composed and perhaps from another age. Although some are reminiscent of Flemish paintings and others of Chinese screen paintings, each illustration suits the setting and mood of its particular tale, all the while maintaining a unity of style throughout the volume. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Sally Gardner was formerly a theater designer and won several awards for productions at London's Royal Court and the National Theatre. She lives in England. Used Book in Good Condition