The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Makingby Catherynne M Valente

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. (goodreads.com)

It's very rare, but sometimes there are just books out there that NEED to be read aloud. This is one of those books. As soon as I started reading this book, my brain instantly translated each word into one read aloud by a woman with a British accent who had a hint of whimsy in her voice. Maybe Julie Andrews, or Professor McGonagall. After the first chapter, I put the book down and searched iTunes for audio books to see if maybe I could buy it and enjoy it that way. Turns out that the woman reading the book in audio is neither British nor whimsical and in fact I had to stop the audio preview before the 30 seconds were up because she was ruining the book for me! Disinterested, American voices are NOT what this book needs.So I read it out loud myself, much to the chagrin of my youngest dog. Sophie would come over to me on the couch, kick the book and then grumble at me. I was so quiet, it shouldn't have bothered her. But obviously if I wasn't talking to HER I shouldn't have been talking at all. ;) Everyone's a critic.It was difficult for me to experience this book in the quiet of my own brain, because it just called out to be read aloud. I almost called my sister while reading to tell her I was going to send this book over for her to read to my niece, only as I went on I think it might be just a tad on the dark side for an almost 5-year old. I will however lend this book to my sister to read and make up her own mind. In fact I want to lend this book to EVERYONE RIGHT NOW! From the words, to the characters, to the puzzles that need to be solved by September, I was just immersed in a fantastical dream world where I could almost see the colours and people right in front of my eyes.This book tastes of cotton candy and cinnamon and mint. It's just so tangible and sweet and tart at the same time. This book was exactly what my tired old brain needed right this moment. In fact, I almost feel like reading it a second time rather than anything in the pile of books over there on the table that I should be reading.The book itself is pleasing as well. It's a flat, hard-cover with a beautiful cover. It seems slightly taller than most books, but maybe that's because it's flatter than most. There are just so many words on the pages and the book just smells like BOOK. The entire experience this book brought me was just beautiful.The story itself is parts whimsy and parts dark. Whereas it might be a little wordy for middle graders, I think those at the higher end of the age range should be able to read it no problem and they might be able to handle the darker parts (some death). I personally found those darker parts scary because I was so in the mind-set of a 12-year old girl and caught up in all the wonder as September was, so when things got a little scary I was startled my self. It's not scary for adult, I was just so wrapped up in what I was reading I didn't see things coming.I came away from this book desperately wanting a Wyverary and for the Green Wind to whisk me away on his Leopard of Little Breezes to Fairyland. Only I don't think I would be nearly as brave as September was though all the events she dealt with.And here's something I never do. I am going to post the book trailer for this book if you have not seen it yet. I don't do this because I do NOT like book trailers and yet, when I watched this one I was just enchanted by it. I had to take a look at it after I read the book because I felt like I needed more of this world that Catherynne Valente created. It's just beautiful. 

I also noticed on Goodreads that the book as listed as "Fairyland #1". I guess there will be more adventures with September in the future? I will most certainly have to read the next book then. I want to go back to Fairyland and experience all the sounds, tastes and colours that it projected into my mind while reading this first book.This is also probably the only book where a key could make me cry. Just sayin'.