Daniela Drescher

Originally published in Germany as Komm mit ins Reich der Zwerge (literally "Come Along to the Dwarf Kingdom"), this lovely picture-book follows a band of diminutive forest beings (here translated as elves) as they carry out their various seasonal tasks throughout the year. Caring for the beautiful celandine in spring, aiding the butterflies in summer, gathering nuts and berries in the autumn, providing seed for the birds in winter - every season has its task, and every task involves an show more ethic of caring for and living in the natural world, and appreciating its beauty. The book closes as the elves withdraw once more to their underground homes, buried deep beneath the snow, where they will dream of warmth and sun-light coming again to the world.

As someone who admires Daniela Drescher's beautiful artwork, I was expecting to find In the Land of Elves a visual treat, and I was not disappointed. The bright, jewel-like colours she employs - the vivid greens of spring, the cool, deep blues and purples of a summer night, the warm oranges and reds of autumn - and the ethereal beings she depicts, make for a pleasing fairy-fancy, if one likes that sort of thing (which I do, if done right!). What was less expected, though very welcome, was the pleasure I took here in the narrative. I tend to find Drescher's artwork superior to her text, and have never been sure whether I ought to attribute this to issues of translation, or to her own writing. In any case, here I found the rhyming story quite appealing, and thought it would make a lovely read-aloud, especially for young children who enjoy fairy fare. The story itself reminded me of Sibylle von Olfers' Etwas von den Wurzelkindern ("The Story of the Root Children"), a classic of German children's literature which also depicts a band of small magical beings who care for the natural world through the seasons, and I couldn't help but wonder whether Drescher was deliberately creating on homage to that earlier (1906) work. In any case, this is one I would definitely recommend, to any young children who enjoy fairy-tales (by which I specifically mean tales of fairies), and to fans of the artist's work. show less

When a mischievous fox chews through the ropes securing Redcap's hot-air balloon, the old inventor-elf finds himself unexpectedly embarking on a night-time flight with his young companion, Bluecap. The two elves eventually land in an enchanted fairy realm, where they are greeted by the lovely Princess Viola, who relates the story of the evil gnome Dulcamara, whose spell has sent the violet-guarding dragon of the land to sleep, thereby robbing it of the flowers' magical protection. Now show more Dulcamara, formerly kept away by the scent of the violets, roams the fairy realm at will. When the princess mentions a secret cave where precious violet seeds can be found, seeds that might help reawaken the dragon, Redcap volunteers to fetch them. With the help of a somewhat less-than-motivated Bluecap, as well as his own shovel-pandelorium, the old elf sets out to do just that...

Originally published in German as Zwergenabenteuer, this picture-book from Daniela Drescher, a children's author and artist whose work often centres around diminutive magical beings, pairs an engaging adventure story with lovely illustrations. As always, Drescher's artwork is beautiful, with its use of vivid colours - the purplish-blue of the night-time sky, the bright reds and oranges of a fairy-party enjoying berries - and its depiction of appealingly fey creatures. It's unusual for her stories to feature a villain, so I particularly appreciated her depiction of Dulcamara, who arrives riding a jet-black crow. I also thought that the fold-out page, depicting the elves' flight, was a nice touch. Whether it's owing to the inclusion of a villain, or to the more adventurous storyline to be found here, I thought this was also one of Drescher's stronger works, textually, and think that young fairy-tale lovers will find it very entertaining. All in all, The Elves' Big Adventure is an appealing little volume! show less

The fairy Faith, whose midwinter and midsummer adventures were chronicled in Daniela Drescher's Little Fairy's Christmas and Little Fairy Can't Sleep, returns in this third adventure, as she searches for an appropriate dress for Queen Wren's Meadow Party. Her friends Mole, Hedgehog and Field Mouse help her search, bringing her flowers, berries, mushrooms and nuts, but nothing feels just right. Confiding her longing for a dress as bright as the moon, as soft as a butterfly's wings, and as show more sparkly as the stars to the moon one night, the Little Fairy's fondest wish is granted...

Published originally as Die kleine Elfe und das Wiesenfestkleid ("The Little Fairy and the Meadow Festival Dress"), this sweet little picture-book is as engaging as its predecessors. The artwork is lovely, capturing the plump charm of Faith's animal friends, whose desire to help is so endearing, and Faith's own delicate beauty as well. My favorite scene was the one in which Faith sits on a little hill at night, outlined by the moon behind her, although every page was beautiful. As always, Drescher's palette is appealing, from the deep blues of her nighttime scenes, to the softer pinks and greens of her days. Recommended to young children who enjoy stories of fairies, as well as to anyone who appreciates Drescher's artwork. show less

Daniela Drescher, a German children's author and artist whose picture-books explore the world of diminutive magical beings such as fairies (Little Fairy's Christmas, Little Fairy Can't Sleep) and elves (The Elves' Big Adventure, In the Land of the Elves), here turns her attention to the denizens of a woodland pool. From the water folk themselves - the mermaids who sun themselves upon the rocks, the nymphs who sleep upon the lily pads - to the many visitors who come to the pool - fairies show more fetching water, elf-boys teasing frogs - it is clear that this magical ecosystem is of central importance to all...

Originally published in German as Im Land der Nixen, this picture-book is very much in line with Drescher's other work, which celebrates the beauty of nature, and of the passing seasons. I was initially a little surprised to see that the "water folk" were not confined to the water in Drescher's enchanted world - they emerge from the depths to attend the gnome king's ball, and skate upon the frozen pool in winter - changing their shape as the need arises. Perhaps the title of this English translation led me to expect mermaids and mermen to predominate in the story, and for the setting to remain largely underwater, but once I became aware of the original German title, I understood, as nixen are Germanic water spirits (sometimes mermaids, sometimes not) said to possess the ability to change shape. In any case, leaving that aside, In the Land of the Merfolk presents a beautiful vision of a magical world, one both natural and supernatural. As always with Drescher, the artwork is simply gorgeous, with its use of vivid, jewel-like colours, and depiction of gossamer-fine magical beings. The scene in which the fairies come to fetch water at the pool was particularly lovely, I thought. The rhyming narrative here felt a little weak, sometimes even a little forced, but I'm going to put that down to issues of translation. I'm working my way through Drescher's work in English, but at some point I'd love to pick up some German originals, just to compare the texts, and see if they read better in the original. Anyhow, overall a beautiful book, one I would recommend to young fairy lovers, as well as to fans of the artist. show less