Encyclopedia of Fairies in World Folklore and Mythology

Gr 9 Up—More than 2,500 beings and species of the fairy ilk are described in this comprehensive tome. The entries are organized alphabetically by entry name in bold type. The length of entries varies from a few sentences to several paragraphs. The countries of origin of the creatures covered reflect global diversity, with featured fairies hailing from all over Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa. Cross-referencing is inconsistent. For example, one variation of "Knock Ma Fairies" is "Cnoc Ma Fairies." The latter does not have a separate entry in the "Cs" so readers have to know to look in the "Ks." Also, one variation of "Knockers" is "Black Dwarfs," and the entry for the first describes something different from the entry for the latter. The writing is straightforward, but geared toward readers who have a solid understanding of world legends: "Born one of the 3,000 daughters of the Titians, Oceanus and Tethys, Hesione was one of the named OCEANIDS and the wife of the Titan Prometheus in Greek Mythology." Extensive source notes and citations boost the appeal of the title for academians. There is no pronunciation guidance, which is problematic with so many names from different cultures: Nuada Airgetlam, Tomtegubbe, Yunw Tsunsdi, for example. Only for those with intense interest in fairy lore.—Jennifer Prince, Buncombe County Public Libraries, NC