A fairy is the one magical creature children go outside and look for. Nobody builds a dragon a house out of bark and acorn caps, or leaves a saucer of milk on the step for a troll, but fairies sit at exactly the right distance from believable — small enough to hide behind a leaf, plausible enough to be blamed for the ring of mushrooms that appeared overnight. And they have two faces. The modern one arrives in wings and glitter and fixes things with a wand. The older one steals babies out of cradles, keeps grudges for a hundred years, and hands out gifts that turn out to be curses. The books worth reading know about both.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 611 fairy books, our editors chose fifteen that cover the whole range: a fairy who trusts the scientific method over magic, the two girls who photographed fairies in 1917 and fooled the world, the series that has been turning new readers into series readers for twenty years, and two Newbery Honor novels about children who are not entirely human. One rule shaped the shortlist — a fairy has to actually turn up in the story. Fairy tales are a wonderful neighboring shelf, but a retold Cinderella is not a fairy book. Start with the fifteen, then follow the wings by age below.
A fairy scientist must solve a magical tree's mystery using science.
A girl searches for hidden fairies, uncovering magic in plain sight.
A mischievous girl uses magic to transform her world, but can she master her fairy skills?
Two young tooth fairies are trusted with their first collection on their own — one tooth, one dark house, and parents waiting up.
One painting and one poem for every flower of the year, each with a small winged resident who belongs to it.
Two girls convince the world fairies are real with a simple photograph.
A kingdom's survival hinges on a banished fairy and an ordinary girl's courage.
A botanist’s field notebook treats fairies as ordinary wildlife — anatomy, life cycle, camouflage, and where each species lives.
Two friends must save Fairyland from losing its colors.
With a fairy for a mother and a vampire for a father, a small girl has to decide which school she belongs at.
A girl discovers she's half-fairy and must choose between magic and her beloved talking dog.
Three children move into a crumbling old house and find a handwritten field guide to the faeries already living in the walls.
A young mastermind's plan to ransom a fairy may spark a war.
A fairy’s birth gift forces a girl to obey every order she is given, and no one alive can take it back.
A changeling girl must confront her past to right a wrong and find her place between two worlds.
Sturdy first books with petals, wings, and pixie dust — counting and color primers, a toddler-sized Midsummer Night’s Dream, and fairies small enough to fit in a lap. Ages 0–3.
Explore the magic of fairies through the changing seasons.
Explore opposites with whimsical fairies in a magical world.
Discover the magical world of fairies through vibrant colors.
Count along with magical fairies in a whimsical adventure.
Discover math magic as flowers transform into butterflies, revealing secrets of numbers.
Discover a whimsical world where fairies dance under a midsummer moon.
Count the baby fairies as they multiply throughout the day.
Uncover the enchanting secrets of fairies in a magical world filled with pixie dust and wonder.
Enter a dreamlike world of magic and mischief where nothing is as it seems.
Discover a magical world of diverse fairies and enchanting creatures.
Discover the ABCs in a magical fairy village.
Read-alouds for the child currently building a fairy house in the yard: garden fairies, flower fairies, tooth fairies, and a few who turn out to be far more trouble than advertised. Ages 3–8.
Freddy's desperate to lose a tooth, but his plan might land him in big trouble.
Can the tooth fairy find you at Grandpa's house?
A hidden door leads to Fairyland. What adventures await?
A tree dragon resists bath time, but could cleanliness be fun too?
A fairy's quest to fly leads to unexpected magic and friendship.
Magic foxes shape-shift in a dangerous game when a hunter appears. Can friendship save them?
A faerie boy and a human child form an eternal bond on a magical night.
Discover the enchanting world where fairies and flowers come alive.
A puppy's birthday in Misty Wood promises magical surprises.
A lost tooth, a missing tooth fairy visit—can dreams save the day?
Can a pink garden lure a magical flower fairy?
A bunny helps a ladybug embrace her uniqueness in a magical forest.
Series to disappear into and novels to get properly lost in — Fairyland rescues for brand-new readers, changelings and second sight for confident ones. Ages 6–11.
Rapunzel's enchanted tower hides secrets. A thief's arrival changes everything.
A young prince disguises himself as a commoner to attend school and make friends, but his adventure takes a turn when he and his friend embark on a quest to find the queen's lost emerald
Four girls are transported to a magical land called Pixie Hollow, where they meet fairies and go on adventures.
A quest to find a missing fairy leads to a mysterious island.
A mysterious song lures Izzy's sister into a magical realm. Can Izzy save her before it's too late?
Can Aurora keep her surprise party a secret from the ever-watchful fairies?
Four girls enter a magical world and meet a legendary figure.
A fairy's magic shrinks Mia's bake sale dreams.
Discover the enchanting world where flowers and fairies come to life.
A holiday turns into a rescue mission when a baby turtle needs help finding its way home.
Discover mythical creatures and enchanting tales from Scottish folklore.
A dragon's mom is kidnapped by fairies. Can he rescue her from their tricky realm?
