The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home - Softcover

Valente, Catherynne M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1472112849 ISBN 13: 9781472112842

Publisher: Atom, 2017

Synopsis

Quite by accident, September has been crowned as Queen of Fairyland - but she inherits a Kingdom in chaos.

The magic of a Dodo's egg has brought every King, Queen, or Marquess of Fairyland back to life, each with a fair and good claim on the throne, each with their own schemes and plots and horrible, hilarious, hungry histories.

In order to make sense of it all, and to save their friend from a job she doesn't want, A-Through-L and Saturday devise a Royal Race, a Monarckical Marathon, in which every outlandish would-be ruler of Fairyland will chase the Stoat of Arms across the whole of the nation - and the first to seize the poor beast will seize the crown.

Caught up in the madness are the changelings Hawthorn and Tamburlaine, the combat wombat Blunderbuss, the gramophone Scratch, the Green Wind, and September's parents, who have crossed the universe to find their daughter...

About this title

About the Author

Catherynne M. Valente, acclaimed author of many books for adults, made her children's book debut with The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. She lives on an island off the coast of Maine with her husband.

Catherynne M. Valente, acclaimed author of many books for adults, made her children's book debut with The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. She lives on an island off the coast of Maine with her husband.

Review

“A glorious balancing act between modernism and the Victorian Fairy Tale, done with heart and wisdom.” ―Neil Gaiman, Newbery Award-winning author of The Graveyard Book

“September is a clever, fun, stronghearted addition to the ranks of bold, adventurous girls. Valente's subversive storytelling is sheer magic.” ―Tamora Pierce, author of The Immortals series

“A mad, toothsome romp of a fairy tale -- full of oddments, whimsy, and joy.” ―Holly Black, author of Zombies vs. Unicorns and the Spiderwick Chronicles

“When I saw that this book reminds me simultaneously of E. Nesbit, James Thurber, and the late Eva Ibbotson, I don't mean to take anything awy from its astonishing originality. It's a charmer from the first page, managing the remarkable parlay of being at once ridiculously funny and surprisingly suspenseful. Catherynne Valente is a find, at any age!” ―Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn

“This is a kind of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by way of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -- it's the sort of book one doesn't want to end.” ―Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“[Fairyland creates] a world as bizarre and enchanting as any Wonderland or Oz and a heroine as curious, resourceful and brave as any Alice or Dorothy. Complex, rich and memorable.” ―Kirkus, Starred Review

“This book is quite simply a gold mine.” ―Booklist, Starred Review

“Amusing, wrenching, and thought-provoking.” ―The Horn Book

About this edition

• Publisher: Atom
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1472112849
• ISBN 13: 9781472112842
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 432