Fairy Glade and Other Enchanting Stories: 07/05/09

Dawn Beautmont-Lane wrote the five fairytales in 190680656X"Fairy Glade and Other Enchanting Stories for her family. The first three and I think the final one were written as Christmas Gifts for her daughter in the late 1960s. The remaining one, "The Dove" was written for her grandson.

Four of the five stories are the sort of non violent, magical journey or easy heroism type stories we've come to expect from children's fiction in the last few decades. They involve children spending a magical time in the Fairy Glade (without consequences), a Teddy Bear bravely saving a train from derailment, and a frog and lizard becoming fast friends despite their differences. They are all fine little stories though lacking the colorful illustrations that usually would come with them.

It's only really "The Dove" that stands out from the crowd. It is a sad story of a young male dove who leaves his nest after his father has left the family for a younger female dove. Too depressed to face the loss of his father he decides to fly away to somewhere across the sea.

Of course once across the sea he is still nagged by his sad feelings and now he misses his mother and siblings. He is given the advice to go home to his mother and siblings because they must be missing him too. He does and along the way learns the value of family even in the hardships of divorce.

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