Fairy Realm #4: The Last Fairy-Apple Tree (Fairy Realm, #4)

by Emily Rodda

The Fairy Realm series are wholesome lighthearted reads featuring a secret fairy realm found through a doorway at the edge of the garden. There's magic and mythical creatures and miniature horses that talk (because what else would you find in a secret fairy realm? duh.) It's reminiscent of Shirley Barber's gorgeous picture books albeit with less impressive artwork (Shirley Barber is incredibly talented). It's a good series for tween girls. I loved this series as a kid, they were imaginative and magical and I loved every minute. I'm pretty sure this series is what started my love of charm bracelets too.

The Last Fairy-Apple Tree
Queen Jessica aka Granny has been having flashes of Hidden Valley - the home to the Realm's gnomes and delicious fairy-apple trees. She's worried but having abdicated the throne, is unwilling to step in. To get around this, she sends Jessie! But first, she takes Jessie to the only fairy-apple tree in the mortal world - right next door and there they find Bilbert the Brave - a trapped gnome. This is my favourite book so far. I love gnomes! I was amused at the idea of garden gnomes being Realm gnomes that stayed too long and got caught by moonlight - turning to stone and never going home unless someone with a bit of magic rubs their heads.

Maybelle, Patrice and Giff all make appearances and Maybelle leads the gang to the Hidden Valley (because stone gnomes forget their way back). And on the way they meet the furrybears. Okay the furrybears sound hysterical. They catch lone travelers that wander into their territory so that they'll be told stories. Lol. I cracked up at that one. Who doesn't love a good story? I felt sorry for the gnomes - having been so greedy for gold they accidentally forgot that they were supposed to leave the excess to regrow the fairy apple trees. But it was nice that Jessie thought of Bilbert's dirty beard having old seeds - even if it was bloody disgusting. And I loved that Jessie tells the best story the furrybears have ever heard. And she was right - who doesn't love a story that paints themselves as heroes? Jessie gets a little leaf charm for her charm bracelet and Rosemary (Jessie's mum) tells Granny off for spoiling her which was amusing. No, it's not from Granny mum, it's from my Great-Aunt Helena that you've never met and who's Queen of a magical realm you've never been to. Duh. 5 stars.