In 2012 I read a middle grade nonfiction book that bowled me over: The Fairy Ring: Or Elsie and Frances Fool the World  by Mary Losure (Candlewick: 2012). It was the true story of how two girls faked photos that tricked many adults, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, into believing that fairies are real. I had never imagined a nonfiction book could so compellingly capture such a strange and fascinating story. It expanded my idea of what nonfiction for kids could do.

Earlier this year I started seeing mention of a new book about the same topic, Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World that Fairies are Real. I immediately assumed it was another middle grade book. After all, it took chapters to explain why they set up the fake photos, how they did it, and the aftermath. Eventually, though, it worked through to my brain that this new book was a picture book. How could you tell the same story in a picture book format?

Nobleman does a good job of it, and some of the differences between the book help show basic differences between picture books and longer nonfiction. He keeps the focus tight on the two girls’ emotions and their reasons for setting up the photos. He doesn’t go into a lot of detail about how they made the photos. And he definitely doesn’t dive into other people’s heads, as the longer nonfiction does. This is very much a book about the two girls. The art in the picture book also helps keep us focused on the girls. It wordlessly conveys much of the emotion that is briefly described in the book as the root source of the photo scam.

It was a pleasure to read again about this strange historical event. And now I want to reread Losure’s book, too.

Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World that Fairies Are Real by Marc Tyler Nobleman, illustrated by Eliza Wheeler. (Clarion: 2018).

Alyson Beecher hosts the Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge at kidlitfrenzy.com. Visit there for more great nonfiction picture books!