A Magical Wizard’s Library: Bookshelf Tour
About my wizard's library
Somehow my invitation to Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry got lost in the post. Not to worry – I had already decided that I would be a homeschooled wizard, and so over the years I’ve been building a library of magical textbooks – real books that contain information about magic and spells, beautiful artwork, and of course secret intelligence on magical creatures such as dragons, and unicorns, and goblins (I’m majoring in cryptozoology, don’t ya know). I intend to be fully prepared when that owl eventually turns up at my door.
Seriously though, I get a lot of requests to do a bookshelf tour, but I have way too many books for that to be a viable option. So I thought I’d invite you along on a little tour of one of my favourite, and most magical, shelves instead. Two warnings – firstly, this isn’t a Harry Potter collection tour – I have lots of HP books, but they are on another shelf and I’ll do that tour another day if people are interested – and secondly, a social media stress reminder that I definitely cleaned up these shelves before I started filming, and out of sight of the camera I have book stacks all over the place, so don’t forget that other people’s pretty shelves are not a reflection of otherwise perfect lives.
The Video Tour - Part 1
Links to the books
If you happened to see any books you particularly liked during the tour, I have listed the best of them below, along with details and some links to help you find them. (Feel free to contact me directly with questions about any of the books that aren’t in the list.) This entry covers the first half of the bookshelf, part 2 covering the second half has been filmed and is being edited, so I will be posting it very soon!
Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links for which I may be compensated (this does not affect my reviews nor cost you any money, but helps support my site hosting costs). I deeply appreciate your support of my site if you use these links, but warmly encourage you to buy from your local Indie bookshop if you have the opportunity. If you’d like to buy (in print) books from local Indie bookshops in the US, I’ve also created a “magical library” list on bookshop.org that you can use to find various volumes of interest included in the list below.
Shelf 1
The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures – John & Caitlín Matthews
There are several books in this series of comprehensive guides to magical creatures, fairies, spells and other such fun. Some are still available new, but many are now out of print (OOP).
❦ Learn more about The Element Encyclopedias here…
→ Buy from Amazon | Abes | Blackwells | eBay
The Magical Unicorn Society – Selwyn E Phipps, Aitch, et al
A vibrantly illustrated collection of books on unicorn lore, including The Magical Unicorn Society Official Handbook, A Brief History of Unicorns/The Golden Unicorn, and a Unicorn Society colouring book.
→ Buy from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Waterstones | Blackwells
The Enchanted Library – Carolyn Turgeon & Faerie Magazine
Gorgeously illustrated treasuries of literature, lore, art, recipes and projects on faeries, mermaids and unicorns.
❦ Learn more about The Enchanted Library series here…
→ Buy from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Hamish Hamilton ‘Book of’ myths, legends and magical tales series – various authors
A vintage collection of books edited by leading children’s authors of the 1970s that contain short stories and excerpts from famous literature about dragons, giants, goblins, magical beasts, witches, wizards, and other myths, legends and folklore.
❦ Learn more about the books in the Hamish Hamilton Books of Magic series here…
Shelf 2
Once Upon A Time – various authors, edited by Roger Lancelyn Green, illustrated by Voijtech Kubasta
A gorgeous vintage book of fairy tales from around the world, with stunning illustrations by the Czech artist Voijtech Kubasta. There are several different editions of this collection, and it is so lovely it deserves a post all of its own.
Dragons and Unicorns: A Natural History – Paul & Karin Johnsgard
A purportedly ‘scientific’ look at dragons and unicorns, from the evolution and anatomy of dragons and unicorns to their own special skills (e.g. fire-breathing in dragons, reliable virgin detection in unicorns). Includes illustrations.
→ Buy from Amazon | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Witch’s Guide to Cooking With Children – Keith McGowan, illustrated by Yoko Tanaka
A fun spin on the Hansel and Gretel story (also, I really loved the title).
→ Buy from Amazon | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Raising Unicorns – Jessica S Marquis, illustrated by Kevin Hedgpeth
Everything you need to know to make a good living as a unicorn farmer. From choosing the right breed to picking the unicorn farm management dream team. Actually, not a bad economics primer. Die-cut cover.
→ Buy from Amazon | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The (In)Complete Book of Dragons – Cressida Cowell
Part of the How to Train Your Dragon series. The book shows pages taken from Viking Hero Hiccup’s childhood dragon-watching notebooks. The paperback edition comes with a poster and collector’s cards.
→ Buy from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Fairyland – Ida Rentoul Outhwaite
Exquisitely illustrated sprites and pixies, highlighted by images of kangaroos, koalas, kookaburras, and other creatures of Outhwaite’s native Australia, with accompanying verses by her sister, Annie R. Rentoul, and stories by her husband, Grenbry Outhwaite.
❦ Learn more about the art of Australian Fairies here…
Shelf 3
The Cottington Fairy Books – Brian Froud
In the early 1990s, Brian Froud unearthed the Victorian diary of Lady Angelica Cottington and discovered that whereas other gentlewoman of her time pressed flowers between their diary pages, the young Lady Angelica pressed fairies. Or rather, the psychic impressions of fairies. There are several books in this delightful series, I love them all.
❦ Learn more about the books in the Cottington Fairy series here… [coming soon]
→ Buy from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
Fairyland – Mabel Lucie Attwell
A sweet collection of fairy tales and nursery rhymes. The fairy tales included are ‘Red Riding Hood’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘Hop o’ My Thumb’, ‘Tom Thumb’, and The Snow Queen. Colour pictorial cover with 8 colour plates by various artists, and numerous black and white illustrations by Attwell.
Fairyopolis series – Cicely May Barker
A collection of new books that explore the world of Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies, featuring ephemera such as postcards, mini-books and letters plus tabs, lenticulars and pop-ups. Includes Fairyopolis (The Flower Fairy Journal), Return to Fairyopolis and How to Find Flower Fairies.
→ Buy from Amazon | Blackwells | Abes | eBay
The Atlas of Monsters – Stuart Hill & Sandra Lawrence
One day a collection of very old maps in found in a dusty library. They show where in the world monsters from mythology and folklore can be found. Inside this wondrous atlas are trolls and dragons, minotaurs and krakens, goblins and giants … as well as a puzzle to solve.
→ Buy from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells | Abes
Celtic Faeries – Jean Baptiste Monge
A delightfully illustrated collection of fairies, gnomes, goblins and other fairy creatures from Anglo-Saxon and Celtic legends. [Text in French.]
→ OOP. Buy from Abes
Celtic Faeries – Jean Baptiste Monge
A delightfully illustrated collection of fairies, gnomes, goblins and other fairy creatures from Anglo-Saxon and Celtic legends. [Text in French.]
→ OOP. Buy from Abes
L’Herbier des Fées – Benjamin Lacombe and Sébastien Perez
While looking for an elixir of immortality, Rasputin’s research led him to the Dark Forest, famous for its medicinal plants and legends. This lovely book combines botanical correspondence, fairy characters, laser cut pages, and other wonders. [Text in French]
→ OOP. Buy from Abes
Monsters & Legends – Davide Cali, illustrated by Gabriella Giandelli
A delightful journey into the fearsome, unknown worlds of dragons, vampires, yetis, and gremlins, and their relation to more commonly found creatures that sparked the legends.
→ OOP. Buy from Amazon | Abes | eBay
Dragons, Little People, Witches, Fairies, Rolls and Elves – Edouard Brasey
Each of the four seasons has particular celebrations and this book aims to bring some of the background to these rituals and traditions. A simply massive book – lavishly illustrated throughout by some of the world’s best illustrators, including Arthur Rackham, Gustave Dore and Walter Crane. Glorious.
→ OOP. Buy from Abes
Fantastic People – Allan Scott and Michael Scott Rohan
A celebration of fantasy characters from hundreds of years of myth and legend, tracing the origins of gnomes, goblins, elves, trolls, dragons, etc. The work of many illustrators is used, including Arthur Rackham, Kay Nielsen, Edmund Dulac, as well as more contemporary artists. Text is minimal, but illustrations lovely.
→ OOP. Buy from Abes
The Complete Encyclopedia of Elves, Goblins, And Other Little Creatures – Pierre Dubois, illustrated by Claudine and Roland Sabatier
The first half of this volume is devoted to the various species of elves, creatures that flourish in both day and night, such as Sylphs, Selkies and Will-o’-the- Wisps as well as more obscure species.The second half leads us through a vast variety of invisible and frightening creatures who haunt hollow and attic, forest and ocean. Gorgeously illustrated and very comprehensive, although the translation from the original French is a bit sketchy.
→ OOP. Buy from Abes
The Great Encyclopedia of Faeries – Pierre Dubois, illustrated by Claudine and Roland Sabatier
French elficologist Pierre Dubois describes the extraordinary richness of the faery kingdom, presenting dozens and dozens of lushly illustrated entries on the most powerful and enchanting denizens of this magical world. Dubois provides readers with authoritative information detailing the customs, habitat, and activities of these Little People. Accompanied by entrancing illustrations by the Sabatiers.
→ OOP. Buy from Abes
Flowers & Fairies – Margaret Tarrant and Marion St John Webb
A long running series of miniature books on the theme of flowers and fairies, including Forest Fairies, Heath Fairies, House Fairies, Insect Fairies, Orchard Fairies, Seashore Fairies, Seed Fairies, Twilight Fairies, Water Fairies and Wild Fruit Fairies.
Flower Fairies – Cicely Mary Barker
A collection of eight miniature fairy books, originally published between 1923 and 1985, including Flower Fairies of the Spring, Flower Fairies of the Summer, Flower Fairies of the Autumn and Flower Fairies of the Winter, A Flower Fairy Alphabet, and Flower Fairies of the Trees, Flower Fairies of the Garden and Flower Fairies of the Wayside. Also available in larger omnibus editions.
→ Buy from Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells
→ Continue on to Part 2 of the Tour…
3 Comments
Randall Perry · 12 February 2021 at 11:43 pm
I need your help. I’m looking for a book.that was reversible. The front was for good fey. The other half was for the nasty creatures. It has beautiful art. I’ve been a fan /DM on roleplaying games for 36 years. I have a terminal condition now. I like your voice and I will buy your book. Could you please help me find this book?
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Daisy · 12 February 2021 at 11:53 pm
Hi Randall – it sounds like Brian Froud’s “Good Faeries” book (it’s a flip book and the other side is called Bad Faeries, his artwork is gorgeous- as a fan of RPG you would probably also like his other books, like Goblins and Trolls too). I’m so sorry to hear of your condition, I hope you are able to delay it as long as possible. (And I hope this is the book you’re looking for.)