Promotional Information

Let the Revels begin! September returns to Fairyland after her first bestselling, breathtaking adventure there. The second in a series that seems destined to become a modern classic, from a multi-award-winning author.

About the Author

Catherynne M. Valente is the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (Much-in-Little, 2012). She lives on an island off the coast of Maine.

Reviews

The strength of this fable for all ages lies its droll tone and witty moralising. It is also stuffed with extraordinary and indomitable female characters. - Financial TimesCatherynne Valente has, with a minimum of fuss, written one of the great young-adult fantasy diptychs since Lewis Carroll. - Time MagazineOne of the strongest fantasy novels for young readers I've had the pleasure of getting lost in...There's as much Phantom Tollbooth here as there is Narnia...Shot through with menace and heroism, [y]ou never know what's coming next in Fell Beneath.Familiar and original storytelling... The rich prose oozes exotic, imaginative imagery. Juan's black-and-white spot art highlights September's questing. Heartless September sprouts a heart during this remarkable, awesome journey. - Kirkus (starred review)

Gr 5-8-Valente returns listeners to Fairyland in this sequel (2012) to The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (2011, both Feiwel and Friends). An awkward and lonely girl, September consoles herself with the delicious secret that she has been to Fairyland and saved it from an evil queen. On an ordinary day, after a long, impatient wait, September trips over a wall and falls into Fairyland where she discovers that things are not as she left them. The shadows of the inhabitants are being sucked into Fairyland-Below. September begins a quest, along with her dear companions A Through L, a Wyvern (a sweet, loyal, and dragonish beast), and Saturday, a Marid (a bluish boy). Divinely verbose, Valente's brilliantly crafted words evoke exquisitely lush and detailed images in the listener's imagination. She seamlessly and brilliantly blends elements of fantasy, mythology, and historical fiction to create a magical world so cunningly described that it's utterly believable. Startling truths reminiscent of J. M. Barrie, L. Frank Baum, and others ground the story and give it depth. Singer/songwriter S.J. Tucker's satiny voice blankets and captivates listeners. She is a storyteller in the classic sense, and voices lively, distinct characters, some with hints of exotic accents. It is not imperative that listeners are familiar with the first book, but it will lend clarity to some details of the story.-Lisa Hubler, Charles F Brush High School, Lyndhurst, OH (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.