The Mystery of the Fool and the Vanisher - Hardcover

Ellwand, David And Ruth

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0744586771 ISBN 13: 9780744586770

Publisher: Walker Books, 2008

Synopsis

This is an illustrated gothic novella told in three parts that may just convince you that fairies really do exist!Part One of this gripping story is told by David Ellwand who, while wandering on the Sussex Downs, finds a deserted house in which there's an old chest containing some extraordinary objects including a set of ancient cylinder recordings. Part Two explores the recordings which are a diary of Isaac Wilde, a Victorian photographer on an archeological dig. Determined to prove their existence, he takes a daguerrotype (a photograph which cannot be faked) of a sleeping fairy - and then vanishes off the face of the earth. The daguerrotype goes missing. In Part Three, having listened to Isaac's diaries, David Ellwand becomes increasingly convinced that fairies exist. But his need to discover the truth might be dangerous...

About this title

About the Author:

David Ellwand began his career in photography at the age of eighteen. He uses a variety of formats and techniques in his books: black-and-white photographs, collage with hand-tinting and full colour photography of handmade objects. He is also a mouse trainer, sculptor, and highly skilled self-taught computer artist. He lives with his wife and daughter in a village in West Sussex, England.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6 Up—Ethereal, sepia-toned photos meld with folklore elements to create an evocative glimpse at the indiscernible boundary between reality and fantasy. In journal format, photographer David Ellwand employs descriptive text and eerily beautiful images to describe his rambles in the English Downs and his discovery of an ancient flint stone. Looking through the hole worn into this "devil eye," he sees a ball of light and follows it to a tumbledown house, where he finds an antique chest containing some unusual relics and an old phonograph recording. Part Two, also illustrated with photos, presents the transcript of this recording made in 1889 by Isaac Wilde, a photographer hired by Dr. Gibson Gayle to document the excavation of a Neolithic flint mine. Though the site is rumored to be haunted by fairies, the arrogant archaeologist intends to quell all superstition through "the faithful transcription of objective reality." The strange events that transpire at Pixhole evoke mystery and suspense, as the "world of reason" collides with "the hidden life of the natural world." Throughout, verbal and visual images are perfectly intertwined to create a magic-infused mood and propel the plot. Whether landscape pictures of gnarled tree roots or close-ups of "artifacts" (e.g., a delicate suit of armor made from oyster and mussel shells), the photos are effective and eye-catching. This intriguing, perhaps slightly unsettling tale can inspire discussion about perception and different ways of seeing.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
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About this edition

• Publisher: Walker Books
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0744586771
• ISBN 13: 9780744586770
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 100