The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making - by Catherynne M Valente (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"One of the most extraordinary works of fantasy, for adults or children, published so far this century."--Time magazine on the Fairyland series; perfect for fans of IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES.

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn't . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when author Catherynne M. Valente first posted it online as a serialized novel. For readers of all ages who love the charm of Alice in Wonderland and the soul of The Golden Compass, here is a reading experience unto itself: unforgettable, and so very beautiful.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making is the first book in the Fairyland series by Catherynne M. Valente, with beautiful black-and-white illustrations by Ana Juan. Catherynne M. Valente is the New York Times bestselling author of the Fairyland series, for young readers, and the author of many books for adults, including Radiance.

The adventures continue in the rest of the Fairyland series, including The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (Volume Two), The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two (Volume Three), The Boy Who Lost Fairyland (Volume Four), and The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home (Volume Five.) Not since Oz has there been a land, or a cast of characters, so rich and entrancing. This deluxe paperback edition contains bonus materials, including interviews with the author and the illustrator.

A New York Times Bestseller
A Publishers Weekly Best Children's Fiction Title
Winner, Andre Norton Award for YA Science Fiction and Fantasy
A National Public Radio Best Middle-Grade Book of the Year
A National Public Radio Top Five Science Fiction/Fantasy Title of the Year
An Amazon Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year
A Booklist Editors' Choice
A New York Public Library Top 100 Books for Reading and Sharing

"A glorious balancing act between modernism and the Victorian Fairy Tale, done with heart and wisdom." --Neil Gaiman, Newbery Award-winning author of The Graveyard Book

"September is a clever, fun, stronghearted addition to the ranks of bold, adventurous girls. Valente's subversive storytelling is sheer magic." --Tamora Pierce, author of The Immortals series

"A mad, toothsome romp of a fairy tale--full of oddments, whimsy, and joy." --Holly Black, author of the Spiderwick Chronicles

"When I saw that this book reminds me simultaneously of E. Nesbit, James Thurber, and the late Eva Ibbotson, I don't mean to take anything away from its astonishing originality. It's a charmer from the first page, managing the remarkable parlay of being at once ridiculously funny and surprisingly suspenseful. Catherynne Valente is a find, at any age!" --Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn

"This is a kind of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by way of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland--it's the sort of book one doesn't want to end." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"[Fairyland creates] a world as bizarre and enchanting as any Wonderland or Oz and a heroine as curious, resourceful and brave as any Alice or Dorothy. Complex, rich and memorable." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Review Quotes

"A glorious balancing act between modernism and the Victorian Fairy Tale, done with heart and wisdom." --Neil Gaiman, Newbery Award-winning author of The Graveyard Book

"September is a clever, fun, stronghearted addition to the ranks of bold, adventurous girls. Valente's subversive storytelling is sheer magic." --Tamora Pierce, author of The Immortals series

"A mad, toothsome romp of a fairy tale--full of oddments, whimsy, and joy." --Holly Black, author of the Spiderwick Chronicles

"When I saw that this book reminds me simultaneously of E. Nesbit, James Thurber, and the late Eva Ibbotson, I don't mean to take anything away from its astonishing originality. It's a charmer from the first page, managing the remarkable parlay of being at once ridiculously funny and surprisingly suspenseful. Catherynne Valente is a find, at any age!" --Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn

"This is a kind of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by way of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland--it's the sort of book one doesn't want to end." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"[Fairyland creates] a world as bizarre and enchanting as any Wonderland or Oz and a heroine as curious, resourceful and brave as any Alice or Dorothy. Complex, rich and memorable." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This book is quite simply a gold mine." --Booklist, starred review

"Amusing, wrenching, and thought-provoking." --The Horn Book

About the Author

Catherynne M. Valente is the author of over a dozen books of fiction and poetry, and is best-known for her urban speculative fiction, including Palimpsest (winner of the 2010 Lambda Award), and The Orphan's Tales: In the Night Garden. This, her first novel for young readers, was posted online in 2009 and won the Andre Norton Award--the first book to ever win before traditional publication. Cat Valente lives on an island off the coast of Maine with her partner, two dogs, and an enormous cat.

Ana Juan is a world-renowned illustrator known in this country for her wonderful covers for the New Yorker magazine, as well as the children's books The Night Eater, and Frida, written by Jonah Winter. She lives in Spain.