“Annabelle’s dad had little time for fairies.” But Annabelle, a preschooler, “had lots of time, and every day she looked.” Her diligence pays off. One day Annabelle meets a boy “as big as her finger.” His name is Jethro Byrd, he wears jeans, a baseball cap and wings, and he’s a Fairy Child. Annabelle is delighted to make Jethro’s acquaintance, and also to meet his father, mother, grandma and baby sister. The Byrd family is en route to the Fairy Travelers’ Picnic, an annual event that sounds suspiciously similar to human gatherings, with hugging aunts, biting flies, and running races in which Jethro always places last. They’ve landed their diminutive ice cream truck near Annabelle’s home to take a short break from their travels, and Annabelle is quick to ensure the Byrds that her mother will be delighted to provide their tea. When Annabelle introduces Jethro to her parents, they respond to what they perceive as their child’s whimsy in a kindly fashion and produce a snack, but are clearly too grown up themselves to be able to see the unexpected guests. Bob Graham’s affectionate watercolor and ink rendering of the fairies show them as a down-to-earth lot you could imagine encountering at any urban summer picnic, minus the wings, of course. (Ages 4-7)

The winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal is now available in paperback. "Graham's not-too-subtle message about slowing down to enjoy the small wonders of life will resonate with children and adults alike."--"Publishers Weekly." Full color.