13 Treasures

This has been a good season for new children's books. One middle grade novel that arrived at the store today is 13 TREASURES by Michelle Harrison. I read the advance reader copy a couple months ago and really enjoyed it!

13 TREASURES is the story of Tanya who can see fairies, but wishes she didn't. They are not the kind, lovely little fairies you might imagine. These fairies tend to cause a lot of trouble (and sometimes actual pain) for Tanya. Tanya is sent to live with her grandmother in an old, secluded mansion near a strange town in Essex, England. Tanya begins to explore the mansion, the woods nearby, and encounters more fairies who torment her. And, of course, there are mysteries to solve along the way.

Harrison, who is from Essex, did a lot of research about fairy lore and myth for 13 TREASURES, which is her first book. One belief Harrison discovered, that makes its way into the book, is that wearing the color red helps protect you against fairies.

Luckily I like the color red and will be wearing it much more frequently now that I know its protective powers. I don't want to take any chances and perhaps meet some of the fairies Tanya encounters!