September lives in Nebraska with her mother during WWII.  Her mother is a mechanic and her father is off fighting in Europe.  September, similar to Pan of Pan’s Labyrinth, is eager to escape the realities of her worn-torn world, though unlike Pan, September’s realities include washing floral print tea cups and being nice to small dogs.  When the Green Wind asks if she’d like to go to Fairyland with him on the back of his leopard, Leopard-of-Little-Breezes, she jumps at the chance, not thinking twice, or sparing a thought for her mother, or even bothering to wave goodbye because she, like most children, is Heartless.

September’s adventures are part of a long line of child-into-Fairyland stories: The Wizard of Oz, The Chronicles of Narnia, Pan’s Labyrinth.  The feel of the book is distinctly early twentieth century, with asides from the narrator to us, the dear reader.  However, this book belongs completely to itself, it is imaginary and original, not predictable, except in self-aware ways.

As with any quest story, September picks up allies as she journeys through Fairyland, encountering various characters and oddities, a herd of wild velocipides, a girl made entirely out of leftover bits of soap, the Forest of Autumn where they repeat one day in a season of change unendingly.  Most important are her companions, Saturday, a Mereid boy, who is blue, is heavy as a stone, and can grant a wish to anyone who bests him in wrestling when his life is as stake.   Most beloved for any bibliophile will be A-through-L, a wyvern whose father was a library, and who has read all the books A though L, so knows anything, so long as it doesn’t start with an M or after.

Both of September’s companions are chained in someway by the evil Marquess, whom September has been sent to find so that she can steal a spoon back for a witch.  The Marquess has other ideas and sends September on a mission for her instead.  All around September is a country suffering under the tyrant, and September has read all the right books to know that it must be her responsibility to rescue Fairyland.

But, this book has twists and turns you wouldn’t expect.  It is a fairy story for children, but adults can find some more depth to sink their teeth into, enjoying the originality, the quirky magic and becoming enchanted just as much as any child.

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