Spiderwort and the Princess of Haiku (The Fairy Chronicles)

This is a wonderful book! My 6 1/2 year old grand daughters enjoyed it very much. I found the story to be well written and full of good moral life lessons. Lessons they were more than able to grasp and enjoy as the story moved along. They seem to be fascinated with fairies now and they are looking forward to getting another book in the series.

J. H. Sweet ... What a treat ... Writing 'bout fairies, she can't be beat. Book one was pure delight; Book two is "out of sight." Book three is a kid's dream, Book four will make them beam. But wait till you see what's in store; of fairy books, she has plenty more. Each of this author's books stands alone as far as story-line, and I discovered something new about fairies and fairy lore in each one. She's a fine writer, so good at her craft that the fairies came alive for me. Interesting story-lines, colorful characters in an exciting, entertaining format. Highly recommended.

My son and daughter, 8 and 10, both liked this book. He read it first because he enjoys reading more than she does. He next told her to read it because he knew she would "really like it!" He was right. My son liked the scarecrow, ogres, bobcat, brownies and ghostly Bard best. My daughter liked the fairies, whispering butterfly wings and the Princess of Haiku. They both loved the story itself and each read it all the way through without stopping. I like the fact that the book has fun extras in the back. I also enjoyed the story even though I have not read anything remotely related to fairies in many years. The words of the story and fairy adventure flow very quickly, but there is some urgency to the important fairy mission, so that is necessary and fits. J.H Sweet blends reality with the fanciful very well to make the story both believable and fun. The mix of characters is what probably what mostly appeals to both of my children. I give thumbs up to any book that can engross my children so well.

Having purchased this book for one of my nieces that loves fairies and princesses, I was surprised by how much I liked it. The tale is not what I expected; it's better. And it's very unique. J.H. Sweet mixes a few traditional fairy tale characters such as a magical scarecrow, a ghost, ogres and a princess in trouble, then adds in some very unique items like puzzles to solve, a scavenger hunt, and poetry-writing. The scavenger hunt is very unusual because the fairies have to seek experiences, rather than things. This makes the book very meaningful and interesting because as the characters progress through their adventure, they definitely learn something. However, they figure everything out for themselves. I almost forgot that an older fairy was along on the adventure because the younger ones were so capable of handling things. This is very empowering and has the ability to make young people feel as though they can make a difference. I highly recommend this Fairy Tale for anyone who likes unique storylines in children's literature, and for those who enjoy children's fantasy.