Modern Fairies, Dwarves, Goblins & Other Nasties: A Practical Guide by Miss Edythe McFate, by Lesley M. M. Blume

Blume, Lesley M. M. Modern Fairies, Dwarves, Goblins & Other Nasties: A Practical Guide by Miss Edythe McFate, 256 pages. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2010. Sexual Content-G; Language-G; Violence-PG. Miss Edythe McFate’s practical guide is no light-hearted “fairy” book. It is truly a compilation of cautionary tales set in New York about dealing with modern fairies and other magical creatures. A girl helps a distraught mermaid capture the attention of a sea captain, whom she lures to his death. A young man finds a secret door in Lincoln tunnel and picks a ruby off of a dwarf’s tree with disastrous results. A little girl is ugly and unloved, so the fairies turn her into a flower. Another little girl helps brownies relocate after their hotel is taken over. The writing style is conversational and draws the reader into the stories. Between stories, Miss Edythe McFate gives further tidbits and advice on dealing with fairies, such as how to tell a good one from a bad one. The illustrations by David Foote haunt every page with their inky black lines. EL- ADVISABLE. Samantha, Public Librarian