Discover the history and mythology of faeries—across time and cultures—as well as their significance in art, poetry, and more, in this lushly illustrated volume, featuring more than 100 reproductions of artistic masterpieces.

"A field guide to the fantastic." — Kirkus

Faeries have captured the collective imagination throughout time and across cultures. Unexplained occurrences, natural phenomena, and so much more have been attributed to these beautiful, mysterious, and often mischievous creatures. Sometimes these fairies can be helpful and kindly, like the brownies of Britain, the menehune of Hawai‘i, and the domovoi of Russia. But just as often, they are seen as a threat, as we characterize a natural phenomenon into an often capricious and frequently frightening creature. The wind becomes a sylph, trees house dryads, and thunderbirds call down storms. They are to be feared and respected, appeased and dreaded in turn.

In this striking book, author Nikki Van De Car introduces readers to faeries of all stripes—helpful and unhelpful, related to the four elements, animal and shape-shifting—as well as some of the most famous figures from history, lore, and literature (from Puck to Ariel). Arranged through wonderous paintings and illustrations by legendary artists including Ruben, Turner, Rodin, Blake, and Millais, this guide features the beautiful evidence of fairies’ influence on our world. Written folklore from Shakespeare and oral storytelling add context to more than 50 creatures accompanied with tips on finding, summoning, and gaining protection from sparklingly clever fairies.