Hans Christian wasn’t the only Anderson who could write an excellent fairy tale!

John David Anderson has done terrific work with “Granted.”

You might think you’ve seen everything possible in fairy tales. I promise, you don’t want to miss this one.

Summary:

No ordinary fairy, Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets is a Granter. Out on her first wish-granting assignment, Ophelia is about to learn that getting what you truly want takes more than a handful of fairy dust.

There are a number of things about this excellent fairy tale that gripped my imagination:

• There’s a freshness about this rendering of the fairy world, and their role in the dynamics of our “real” world.
• I love the way fairy names are described:

The origin of fairy names:

“When faires are born,[ ], they are given their names in stages, not all at once. The middle is always the first—fairy ritual is seldom logical—and is simply the name of the flower, bush, or tree they are born from. [ ] A fairy’s last name is given by the fairy’s Founder, [who is] the first to see a new fairy’s personality surface, to pick up on her quirks and ticks, her penchants and predilections. [ ] As for her first name—that [is] simply a matter of luck. A fairy’s first name is drawn out of a hat.”

Now you understand the origin of “Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets!” What would your name be if you followed those rules?

Other enthralling details:

• The author has an interesting way of starting chapters—a step back from the action of the plot line, filling in fairy lore or character history. It’s a gentle tease, and very effective.
• There’s a relationship in this book you’ll never forget: between Ophelia and a homeless dog (golden retriever?) named Sam. The author writes wonderful dialogue for Sam, perfect “dog-speak.” Superb and memorable.
• Male author does a great job of writing his female protagonist. Hooray!

There’s more, but I think that’s enough to tickle your interest. Like any excellent fairy tale, Granted eventually has a happy ending you can look forward to!

If you love fairies and fairy tales as I do, don’t miss this excellent fairy tale, Granted by John David Anderson.

Happy Reading!