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The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making: Fairyland #1    by Catherynne M. Valente Amazon.com order for
Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making
by Catherynne M. Valente
Order:  USA  Can
Henry Holt, 2014 (2014)
Hardcover, Softcover, CD, e-Book
* * *   Reviewed by Jessica Maguire

Twelve-year-old September is a girl who wishes for adventure in her otherwise quiet life. When the Leopard, accompanied by the Green Wind, invites her to Fairyland, September cannot wait to go. After all, 'An ill-tempered child should be bold.' But September's boldness gets her into predicaments she never could have imagined.

When she arrives in Fairyland, September finds the magical land in peril. The lovely and pleasant ruler has been replaced by the Malevolent Marquess who is wreaking havoc upon the land. At the request of a coven of witches whose special spoon has been stolen (Hello, Goodbye, and Manythanks), September sets out to restore Good Queen Mallow to the throne.

September sets out on her journey alone, but befriends many strange characters along the way. First she meets A-Through-L, a dragon who loves books. The girl also meets Saturday, an almost human blue Madrid. With the help of her new friends, September continues on her quest to find Good Queen Mallow and the spoon belonging to the witches.

However, at the very beginning of her adventure, September must make a choice. She must pick a direction to travel and choose 'To Lose Your Way ... To Lose Your Life ... To Lose Your Mind ... To Lose Your Heart.' What will September choose to lose?

I enjoyed getting lost in this novel for young (and old!) readers ages ten and up. This complex, action packed fairytale is reminiscent of the magical land of Oz where dreams become a reality of sorts. Get cozy with this book on a cool fall day and enjoy your trip to Fairyland!

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