My suspicions were further aroused when I went to add the poetry collection of Goodreads, which showed a much high page count (80-90 to a measly few) between volumes. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. The flower fairies appear most realistic; perhaps because C M Barker used to sketch the children at her sister's school, bringing the faces of innocent childhood to her world of delightful fantasy. Featuring extraordinary illustrations by Clive Hicks-Jenkins and an exclusive introduction by Janina Ramirez, each of the 750 numbered copies has been signed by both contributors. Mary Shelley's darkly disturbing tale is illustrated by Angela Barrett and newly introduced by Richard Holmes.

He worked in the Department of Botany at the Natural History Museum from 1965 to 2007 and remains a Scientific Associate at the Museum.Today, almost thirty years after her death, her work continues to offer delights that have stood the test of time.

Featuring a fascinating introduction by Val McDermid and new illustrations by Juan Esteban Rodríguez, each copy has been signed by both the introducer and the illustrator. My daughter has the earlier version and I purchased the newer version for my niece, as they both adore it. All of the plants and flowers depicted in Barker’s paintings are easily identifiable in gardens, parks and woodlands, so these beautiful characters can educate as well as entertain. Normally we see each fairy and their poem displayed on facing pages, so even though hte books are diminutive in size (fairies at scale! Each poem is individually presented on the facing page to its relevant painting, just as in the first editions of Barker’s little volumes, while our font has been carefully selected for its close resemblance to the original.Barker’s whimsical verses introduce the reader to fairies that appear throughout the seasons, as different trees and plants bloom.

It taught me to recognise many flowers, a lot I remember to this day and her poems accompanying them are charming. My granddaughter has spent a lot of time just admiring the pictures and selecting her favourite fairies. The Flower Fairies have become a bit commercialized and there are many derivative books out there now and many only use use pieces of her artwork ignoring the poetry or using only a few tidbits.An important factor to it's charm is that CMB drew the picture and then wrote the poems, truly capturing the personality of it all. Through the beautiful illustrations the author brings to life the magic of flowers and how each has their very own special place in a garden.