Interested in fairy tales? Then I have a book for you. The Little People: Stories of Fairies, Pixies, and Other Small Folk, is just that, a beautiful illustrated compendium detailing numerous aspects of the mythical creatures found in folklore and fairy tales. Part scholarly work, part collection of reprinted stories, it seeks to shed light upon the mysteries that have enchanted us. From the various origins of the fairy folk, to the different races and instances of fairies throughout culture, to details taken from folklore, to comparisons with other mythical tales, this book covers the spectrum of fairy influence. From pranks to places, curses to blessings, frolics to treasures, it has a little bit of everything. Though the book restrains itself to the lore of Northern Europe, it still has a wealth, even an embarrassment, of information and legend to draw upon, and the author does a splendid job of separating out the wheat from the chaff and distilling the material down for easy reading and better comprehension. Furthermore, he has included fairy-related artwork from a number of renowned artists, including Arthur Rackham, Richard Doyle, and Edward Robert Hughes.

Essays on fairy-related paintings and fairy lore, as well as an extensive bibliography and a thorough glossary covering the numerous kinds of fairies found elsewhere in the book, add to the value of The Little People as a reference book, as well as an entertainment. Though not really aimed at younger readers, it will appeal to those who like their fairy tales and folklore accompanied by details and origins. This is a lovely book, worth picking up for the reading. Also, don’t miss the pencil illustrations of accomplished artist Jacqueline Mair, specially commissioned for this book.