Comments (36)

What did you think about this title?
1 to 25 of 36 items
Jun 28, 2021
This is a brilliant fictional tale filled with vibrant imagery, fantastic storytelling, and clever writing. It follows the tale of September, a girl from Omaha, as she rides on a Leopard with the Green Wind to the magical world of…
Apr 20, 2021Octa rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I discovered this book two years ago and it went right to the top of my favorites list and stayed there. I spent two months buying all five books in hardcover and each was better then the last. The first one, however, is simply stunning.…
Aug 06, 2020
A clever, wildly imaginative and funny story about 12 year old September, when her ordinary life is turned upside down when the Green Wind whisks her off to fairyland. The first in a series.
Feb 04, 2020
One of the best books I have ever read. Beautifully written with a great story and interesting characters! Definitely worth reading.
Nov 13, 2019
Not even halfway through and I already love it!!! Mentioned Rotary, is the author a member?
Oct 21, 2019FloraWest rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A little Alice in Wonderland, a little Wizard of Oz but wholly original, this book is a great read. The prose is also delightful. Some light thoughts, some deep thoughts and a really good quest. People will probably gravitate to this for…
Jun 24, 2017ArapahoeElena rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Follow September and her friends on her journey to save Fairyland from a Marquess gone bad! I love the September's adventures in Fairyland because our heroine is smart, resourceful, compassionate, and determined. Valente's writing style…
May 18, 2017
This novel (and the series that follows) is one of my favourite recent finds in juvenile fiction. Valente is a champ at world-building, she has cleverly incorporated elements from fairy tales and myths, and there's the occasional nod to…
Jun 25, 2016
To compare Valente to any other writer does a disservice to her brilliance and ingenuity. Others may be creative but she, without question, is a Creator; her name often follows those that loom large in Fantasy or Sci-Fi, whereas I think…
May 25, 2016erinreadsandknits rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is a beautifully told adventure fairy tale that feels both classic and modern at the same time. September's story is perfect for a family read-aloud with a vibrant cast of characters and fun and quirky prose.
May 24, 2016PimaLib_SierraG rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Classic style of fairy-tale adventure with a whole cast of new creatures and characters. Anyone who has read The Wizard of Oz, or Alice in Wonderland will immediately fall in love with September and her magical journey through the world of…
Feb 09, 2016jessica_ebacher rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
My love for Valente's lush prose knows no bounds. I swear, every time I finish one of her books my heart breaks because I have to leave the strange, lovely, dangerous world that it feels she's created just for me. Happily, with this book,…
Dec 05, 2015Sketch1 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book was awesome, but unexpectedly dark, and grim for a children's book. Top notch.
Jul 14, 2015RacoonGoddess rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
If you love fairy tales READ THIS BOOK!!!
Nov 15, 2014GuyN rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blurbs on the bookcover from Holly Black, Tamora Pierce, Peter Beagle and Neil Gaiman. Won the Andre Norton Award. Plugged by Patrick Rothfuss on his blog. Rave on Amazon by Cory Doctorow. An impressive list of fantasy fans. I see why.…
Sep 11, 2014forbesrachel rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Both strange and wonderful! Valente has created an ornately worded fairytale full of beautiful descriptions, dialogue, metaphorical language, and imagery, with an almost theatrical quality. Characters and the world they inhabit are…
Aug 15, 2014
12 year-old September lives a normal, ordinary life, until she is whisked away by the Green Wind to Fairyland, and sent on a question by the new Marquess. Fairyland is an unpredictable place, and while September will make new friends and…
emckenzie
Jul 29, 2014
I would best describe this book as Alice in Wonderland reimagined for Teens/Adults. This book is full of rich landscapes, characters and a whimsical plot and the experience of the main character is oddly relatable even as an adult.
Aug 07, 2013artemishi rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is one of those rare books that defies genre. Is it a children's book, or an adult's book posing as a children's book? The answer is yes. In the style of Alice in Wonderland, this book is delightfully convention-defying. At its…
Jun 22, 2013ychi rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
It takes a while to adjust to Catherynne Valente's writing style; it's rather full of Things that Are Capitalized, and random phrases like "Good-bye, shoe! September will miss you soon." Once you get into the flow of things, though, the…
May 14, 2013JCLJoF rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Favorite things: the narrator addresses the reader occasionally, the protagonist is aware she's in a fairy story, and the chapters all have a "...in which..." subheading.
Mar 28, 2013bkilfoy rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I fell in love with this book from the opening page. A brilliant and complex fairytale, Valente weaves a narrative reminiscent of some of my favourite classic children's books, Peter Pan and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The language…
Mar 04, 2013JCLJoshN rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
An absolutely wonderful fairy tale fantasy in the spirit of Alice in Wonderland, the Oz books, and The Phantom Tollbooth. Cat Valente's story doesn't condescend to children or adults. It's smart, funny, thrilling, enchanting and surreal.
Dec 21, 2012iicydiamonds rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
As an adult I may not be the target audience for this book, but I still greatly enjoyed it! It's fun and whimsical. A wonderful choice for a time when you want to escape the real world and spend some time in "what if".
Caroline1731
Oct 11, 2012Caroline1731 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
I decided to read this book because I saw Catherynne Valente read an excerpt from the sequel to this book and speak about being a female fantasy author at a panel hosted by the New York Public Library this past Spring. "The Girl Who…