Avril Tyrrell

"The best-loved magazine in all the Fairy Realms" returns in this second issue, following upon their Winter installment. Here the theme is Spring, and the editor is once again Eritha of Blossoms Cottage, who reminisces about her own youthful turn as Queen of the May Festival, and discusses the importance of the festival, and of the Maypole Dance. The miniature magazine also includes a brief article/advertisement from fairy herbalists Basil & Rosemary, the Fairy Faux Pas column dispensing etiquette advice for those dancing around the Maypole, Princess Daisy's Circle of Friends column, in which the royal gives some information out about herself, and an announcement from Dr. Flora Fauna, Doctor of Fairy Veterinary medicine, regarding the Hospital's Nursery Wing being open for the season. The issue closes with the program for the upcoming May Festival at Picardy Orchard, while the beautiful artwork is provided by the human illustrator Frances Tyrrell, "Painter of Wonders and Fairytales..."

Published in 2001 by Treasure Seeker Studios, a project of Canadian mother and daughter and author/illustrator team Avril and Frances Tyrrell, The Illustrated Fairy Gazette: Spring is the second of six miniature hand-stitched issues in The Illustrated Fairy Gazette—a self-publishing project which then gave rise to three traditionally published picture books from UK-based Templar Publishing—and is every bit as lovely as its wintry predecessor. Like all of the issues in the magazine, it is quite small—4.25 x 5.5 inches—and will fit easily into childish hands. It is beautifully illustrated, and absolutely charming in its conception! Young fairy lovers will be completely won over by the idea of a magazine for fairies themselves, produced by them (with a little help from the human realm), and will wish they could enter into the sylvan glens and see the May Festival themselves. For my part, I found everything here, from articles to artwork, advertisements to advice, absolutely delightful, and I look forward to reading the rest of the issues of the magazine—I bought a complete set on Etsy, and then bought a second set to give to some children I know—as well as the three picture books.… (plus d'informations)

"The best-loved magazine in all the Fairy Realms" debuted in this lovely Winter issue, edited by Eritha of Blossoms Cottage, who provides a history of Christmastime festivities amongst the fairy folk in her letter from the editor. The miniature magazine also contains a fashion column from Belle Cherie—velvet garments in holly red, ivy green or snowberry white are recommended—a note from Princess Daisy concerning her Circle of Friends—a belief in Goodness, Beauty and Truth being all that is required to belong—and a dispatch from Flora Fauna, Doctor of Fairy Veterinary medicine, who is undertaking a journey south with migrating butterflies. The beautiful artwork is provided by the human illustrator Frances Tyrrell, "Painter of Wonders and Fairytales..."

Originally published in 2000 by Treasure Seeker Studios, a project from Canadian mother and daughter and author/illustrator team Avril and Frances Tyrrell, The Illustrated Fairy Gazette: Winter was republished in 2005 with full-color illustrations (the original edition had a combination of color and black and white artwork). It is the first of six miniature hand-stitched issues in The Illustrated Fairy Gazette, a self-publishing project which then gave rise to three traditionally published picture books from UK-based Templar Publishing. As a great admirer of the Tyrrells' work in a number of other titles, I was very excited to discover a complete set of The Illustrated Fairy Gazette on Etsy, and having now obtained it, am delighted to get going with it. I love the concept here—a magazine for fairies themselves, produced by them (with a little help from the human realm)—and the execution is outstanding. The columns are appealing, and the artwork gorgeous! I was particularly struck by the column from Doctor Flora Fauna, and think her adventures traveling with the butterflies (or possibly other adventures) deserve a full-length magazine special of their own. I think young fairy-lovers would love this little magazine—I know I do!—and it is to them, and to fellow admirers of the Tyrrells, that I would recommend it. For my part, I look forward to reading subsequent issues of the magazine, as well as the picture books.… (plus d'informations)

A family decorates their Christmas tree—an annual tradition bringing together three generations—in this lovely holiday picture book from Canadian author/illustrator team and mother and daughter, Avril and Frances Tyrrell. As the ornaments awaken in their boxes on the big day, the oldest and wisest of them—the Christmas elf—helps to acclimate the others to the new year, and the new holiday celebration of which they are to be a part. Changes have come to the family, over time—one child is no longer alive, while others are now grown and have children of their own—but love remains, and so do the traditions of the holiday...

Apparently first published as a miniature paperback book in 1993, under the title The Christmas Clown, the story here was republished in 2003 by the Burlington, Ontario-based North Shore Publishing, with artwork from author Avril Tyrrell's daughter, Frances. Grandmother's Tree is the second book the duo worked on together, following upon their 1999 Woodland Nutcracker, and it feels very much like an intimate, family production. I suspect that the story here is based upon the Tyrrell family's own Christmas traditions, both because the tone of the narrative feels so personal—the discussion of specific ornaments, for instance, and which child made them—and because one of the children mentioned in the story is named Frances. Whatever the case might be, the story here was sweet, drawing the reader into its world, and making them feel as if they were sharing a real family's holiday experiences. The artwork was lovely, both colorful and bright, with a wonderful use of light. I thought the final illustration of the fully-decorated tree at the end was especially beautiful, and I appreciated the inclusion of instructions for making two of the homemade ornaments mentioned in the story, at the rear. Recommended to fellow admirers of Frances Tyrrell's artwork, as well as to picture book readers looking for wonderful family-oriented stories for Christmastime.… (plus d'informations)

The classic Christmas fairy-tale about a magical nutcracker is given the ursine treatment in this gorgeous picture book from Canadian author/illustrator team Avril and Frances Tyrrell, who are also mother and daughter. Clara, a young brown bear living with her family in their cosy island home, experiences all the joy and wonder of a Christmas party, and is delighted with Grandpa Bear's gift of Nutcracker Bear. Waking up late at night, Clara is in time to see an incipient battle between the Nutcracker and a troupe of mice, and manages to make peace between the factions. As reward for her kindness in creating a Christmas Truce, Nutcracker (now a live bear) takes Clara to the palace of Ursa Major, where she witnesses bears of all kinds giving many wonderful performances. Eventually Clara is returned home from this celestial palace, laden with a special gift for her brother Peter...

I am not sure that a Nutcracker retelling with bears was something with enough appeal for me, that I would have picked up Woodland Nutcracker in the ordinary course of events, but as someone who greatly admires illustrator Frances Tyrrell's work—her artwork for The Huron Carol and The Worker in Sandalwood was simply gorgeous—I decided to seek it out despite that fact. How fortunate that I did, as I discovered an absolutely delightful picture book, one with an entertaining and magical story, and lovely illustrations! I really appreciated the way in which Avril Tyrrell adapted the story, taking her Clara to the stars, rather than to a magical land of sweets, and I loved that various different bear (and not really bear) species—black bears, lesser pandas, pandas, polar bears, grizzly bears, and koala bears—performed the various dances. It's clear that Tyrrell was as inspired by the story of the ballet, as she was by the original Hoffman tale. The visuals here were simply beautiful, with a lovely color palette, gorgeous decorative borders, and charming ursine characters in ornate costumes. All in all, this was a wonderful Christmas picture book, one with both narrative and illustrative appeal. Recommended to those looking for a creative Nutcracker retelling with beautiful artwork, as well as to fellow admirers of Frances Tyrrell's work.… (plus d'informations)