Faedom by Agnes Monod-Gayraud and Lorna White

So many stories and films feature fae, fairies and whimsical creatures and if you love those, then this is the book for you! Check out the blog from the authors below all about Faedom!

When we set out to write Faedom, our goal was to share our love and admiration for the natural world and the ancient legends, while bringing it forth into the modern age. We wanted to breathe new life into this treasured legacy of folklore, tracing thousands of years of imagination and tradition. We hoped to build a fae world that any child could relate to today and see themselves in. We blended elements of science and fantasy to ground this world even deeper into reality, making these fairies an integral part of the imagination that lies behind the magic we often feel, but can’t always see.

The process of writing Faedom came together naturally. We were lucky to have similar ways of thinking about fairies and how we wanted to write about them. Using the four elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Air as our guides, we chose six fairies to represent various facets of these realms, making up the 24 distinct fairies of Faedom, including Lunella, the Moon Fairy, Nephelie, the Mist and Steam Fairy, Celeste, the Dream Fairy, and many more.

Each fairy’s origin story also features a few intriguing facts about the realm that each fairy represents, such as the intricate communications systems that keep a forest thriving, how certain plants and animals are able to absorb and reflect light to make them glow in the dark and even explaining how water can have memory just like a human being. There is also a traditional legend or bit of folklore tied to each fairy, which we drew from all over the globe. It was important to us to emphasise that so many different cultures on our planet have some form of fairy tradition and to bring these traditions together in a sort of universal, updated fae compendium.

Each fairy comes with their own spell or ritual, which heightens the magical aspect of the book, while also encouraging the reader to engage in a thoughtful activity. Crafting is one way to help children ground themselves in a chaotic world, while also helping spark their imagination and innate creativity. Many of the rituals also help readers gain confidence and make social interactions less daunting. We wanted these spells and activities to bring the reader closer to both the natural world and the realm of imagination.

When it came to writing the actual text of the book, we divided up the fairies between ourselves and swapped drafts until we were each happy with each one. Afterwards, we worked on the various non-fiction pages spread out through the book, such as the guide to the moon phases and the life cycle of a star. We also included a fairy-spotting map and a calendar of fae festivities so that our readers can find different ways of celebrating fairy magic throughout the year.

The world of Faedom gradually developed and each character gained their own complex identity through each draft. We researched the myths, legends and science independently, coming up with all sorts of ideas, so that we had plenty of material to work with. We used a great deal of resources, gathering everything we absorbed from fae traditions and scientific research to try to create a new lore for the future.

As our fairies all have their own distinct personalities, we also included a ‘Faeology Chart’ at the end of the book, so that our readers can consider all the different personalities out there. It was important for us to avoid making a distinction between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ traits – all of our fairies are different and all of them have their off days. And just like the fairies, we wanted to show that we are all doing our best and everyone is entitled to feel grumpy some days, just like Lunella after the full moon.

Ultimately, the fairies of Faedom are flawed and magnificent at the same time. Each of them wields an immense power, drawn from the natural world. At the same time, our ‘modern’ fairies are also known to fly through the sky, jamming on an electric guitar like Akari or roller-skating down rainbows like Skylar. These whimsical beings were illustrated by the talented Nadzeya Makeyeva, and we’re grateful to her for bringing them to life in such a vibrant, dynamical way.

We had a lot of fun creating these magical beings and our hope is that Faedom will bring a bit of magic to readers of all ages, around the world.