This is exactly what I image Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy sat around evenings reading aloud to each other. So fun! It was very old-fashioned, and therefore heavy on the life lessons, but the stories were imaginative. Any fan of modern fairy stories should definitely read this to harken back to the origins. The illustrations were detailed and charming!

I actually picked up this collection of nine magical tales during the Christmas holidays – hoping they would fit into those short moments of quietness between the general craziness of the festive period, which they did perfectly! Each tale takes the reader into a wild and imaginative world full of adventure, magic, nature, fairies, elves, and talking flowers and animals. Where kind fairies tend the flowers and animals; wayward children and naughty fairies learn important lessons; and great adventures are had by all.

There is an innocent and whimsical feel to these tales, but also a strong element of moralising that I realise will not to be everyone’s taste. Apparently this collection grew out of Alcott’s experience of telling stories to the children of her neighbours in Concord, Connecticut. In hindsight, knowing this I can understand and accept the moralising which is on the commendable themes of love, kindness, and responsibility; plus it was much milder than the heavy moralising in The Water Babies which was even a bit too much for me.

Overall I found Flower Fables to be a quick, easy escapist read. Sadly I didn’t love it anywhere near as much as Little Women – I think a big part of that was the lack of main characters to follow – however this was still an enjoyable read.