Backyard Fairies - Summer Book Club

Welcome to the first week of Bella Luna Toys Summer Book Club!

We're so excited to share a book that has been a favorite of ours for years and that we believe makes a perfect start to the magic of summer.

“Have you ever found, while out on your own, a tiny magical somebody’s home?” So begins this inquisitive story from beloved Phoebe Wahl. In Backyard Fairies, we follow a young girl on her quest to find the fairies that she senses are just beyond her reach.

As we follow her through the woods behind her house, we feel the familiar anticipation and wonder that children carry as they look for fairies and other signs of magic and mystery, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse. Through simple questions, we follow this search and with each page are captivated by Phoebe Wahl’s illustrations. Each page is a treasure of details and within each illustration, kids can find the different fairies flitting through the everyday scenes. This sweet and simple story is one that will be read over and over, in anticipation of a fairy house building day or after any summer adventure. The spare but lovely questions will allow little fairy lovers to think about their own fairy sightings and the wonder that's all around us.

Day 1: Read & Discuss

On the first day of the book club, sit down with your children and read the book together. Read the book slowly, lingering to closely explore the illustrations and fully engage with the story. After you’ve finished reading, talk about the different elements of the story and invite your children to ask questions, share what they loved and can relate to, and discuss any parts of the story that stood out to them. Allowing time for thoughtful discussion lets the story resonate more deeply and makes the story sink into your little one's memories.

We've put together a list of questions and discussion topics to prompt your conversations:

1. This story starts with a question and we are wondering the same thing! Have you ever found a “tiny magical somebody’s home?”

2. Imagine if your dog’s hair was braided one morning! What would you do upon discovering this?

3. Have you ever left a gift for a fairy? Have you ever been given a gift in return?

4. Can you spot all of the different fairies on each page of this book? How many fairies are at the fairy party when the little girl goes outside at night?

Day 2: Drawing & Writing Prompt

On the second day of our Summer Book Club, we revisit the story to retell it and process the story even more through drawing and writing prompts. Often, children like to retell the story through play. Setting up a small theater with a playsilk curtain for them to perform their own reenactment is an engaging way to encourage storytelling. Perhaps, they might like to share their own version with an audience of their dolls and stuffed animals. Let your children lead the way! If your children enjoy drawing and writing, create a space with easy access to pencils, crayons, and paper. Include the book in the space so they can use it as inspiration.

We created the following prompt to spark their writing and drawing adventures:

This book shows fairies in play and tucked away in special fairy houses. Take a piece of paper and dream up your own magical fairy house. Imagine the fairies that live there and come to visit. Write a story describing a day as a fairy living in your fairy house.

Day 3: Backyard Fairies Paper Fairy Craft Collage

The flowers and fairies in this craft are inspired by Phoebe Wahl’s book, Backyard Fairies. This child-centered art activity helps to bring the book to life and creates play materials using sticks, dried flowers, egg cartons and paint. Enjoy crafting and playing together! This craft comes from our sweet friend, Laura Prietto!

Gather Your Supplies:

These are the supplies for this project:

Sticks
Dried Flowers
Glue
Yarn
Egg cartons
Paint and paint brush

Create your Fairy Craft:

Step 1: First, cut out various flower shapes from egg cartons. The book provides much inspiration! Then, paint the shapes.

Step 2: Hot glue the flower pieces together.

Step 3: Paint sticks to attach to the flowers as “stems” and add painted egg cartons leaves. Arrange the bouquet in a pot filled with pebbles or beans to hold the flowers in place.

Step 4: Use water color paints and paper to make a cone shaped fairy body and wings.

Step 5: Add pressed flowers to the painted wings for a decorative touch of nature.

Step 6: Paint two additional egg carton pieces to serve as the fairy’s face and hat. Attach yarn hair to the inside of the hat before hot gluing it all together.

Step 7: Cut out the fairy body and tape together the cone as you would a DIY party hat. Glue on the wings. Slide a painted stick through the top of the cone and fix in place with hot glue. Attach the head to the top of the stick in the same way.