Review sponsored* by Amberjack Publishing
The Children’s Book Review | November 26, 2018
Narrated by Quentin Q. Quacksworth, Esq.
Written by Jon Etter
Illustrated by Adam Horsepool
Age Range:8-12
Paperback:304 pages
Publisher:Amberjack Publishing (November 20, 2018)
ISBN:978-1948705141
What to expect: Fairies, Dark Humor, Belonging, and Fantasy
Goblins, brownies, and pixies, oh my! A Dreadful Fairy Book is anything but dreadful. In fact, it is an unexpectedly funny ode to books and the knowledge that they bring.
The story is told by a grumbly narrator, Quentin Q. Quacksworth, Esq., who promises at the outset to tell this dreadful tale as undreadfully as he possibly can. Chapter one begins just as a fire has destroyed young Shade’s home in Pleasant Hollow, along with the books that her family of sprites had housed for generations. Amidst the ruins of her home, Shade finds and retrieves one charred, soggy, but intact book: Traveling in the Greater Kingdom: A Guide to the Wonders of the Fairy World by Stinkletoe Radishbottom. Shade is upset, to say the very least, at the dimwits that inhabit Pleasant Hollow for they are the sprites that caused the fire due to their lack of knowledge on fireworks and the risks involved in setting them off in a dry forested area. She decides to leave Pleasant Hollow, and sets off on a journey to find a new place filled with books. She hopes to find a place where she can read in peace to quench her thirst for knowledge.
The character development is noticeably shrewd, right down to the character’s names. Shade herself, sure knows how to throw shade around—she speaks her mind, is as tough as nails, smart, and resourceful, too. But she’ll need her copy of Traveling in the Greater Kingdom if she is to survive the questionable characters she encounters in her Alice in Wonderland meets The Princess Bride meets The Hobbit-esque voyage.
Squashing fairytale stereotypes, author Jon Etter has layered wise themes within this raucously wicked fairytale. He unveils our great need to belong and to not only surround ourselves with people that accept us as we are, but to widen our friendship circle and expose ourselves to a more diverse group of people and experiences. Everything down to the design, layout, type font, and sprinkling of illustrations is on point.
With the message that books will always be your friend—and that the roots of knowledge run deep—Jon Etter’s A Dreadful Fairy Book is a great choice for fans of darker humor, such as the kind that can be found in Lemony Snicket’s books.
Don’t be a “dingle-dangle dunce,” go grab a copy, head to your nearest hollow tree and read it. Highly Recommended!
Available Here
About the Author
Jon Etter
Jon Etter grew up in his local library in Forrest, Illinois (population 1,200, not including dogs), and eventually migrated north to Wisconsin, where he has taught high school English for the past twenty-one years. When not teaching or attempting to domesticate his two children, Jon has written for a variety of anthologies and journals. He loved every minute of working on A Dreadful Fairy Book that wasn’t spent with Quentin Q. Quacksworth, whom Jon describes as “the opposite of fun.” For more about Jon, visit him on the web at www.jonetter.com.
About the Narrator
Quentin Q. Quacksworth
In his storied, 43-year career as a professional narrator, Mr. Quacksworth has worked on many wonderful, proper pieces of literature. His greatest regret, professional or personal, is his involvement with Jon Etter, whom he describes as “a pugnacious purveyor of puerile prose,” and A Dreadful Fairy Book, which he strongly urges publishers, parents, teachers, and librarians to keep out of the hands of children.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. Amberjack Publishing sponsored* this non-biased review of “A Dreadful Fairy Book.” Learn more about getting a book review …