The Mystery of the Fool and the Vanisher

by Ruth Ellwand, David Ellwand, David Ellwand (Photographer)

Overview

"Beautiful photographs are juxtaposed against subtly quiet text in this unusual fantasy." — Kirkus Reviews

Some say the English Downs are haunted by fairy creatures — and that those who find a flint stone with a hole through it can look into the fairies' realm. It is just such a stone that leads photographer David Ellwand on a dark journey to the past, one that starts with a musty wooden chest and a nineteenth-century journal and ends with a disappearance as sudden as a vintage camera's flash. In this journal-within-a-journal, illustrated by Ellwand's exquisite photographs, lies a tale of archaeologists and fairies, human hubris and otherworldly revenge, the magic of the natural world and the mystery of the imagination.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763620967
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	09/09/2008
Pages:	104
Product dimensions:	7.76(w) x 10.88(h) x 0.65(d)
Lexile:	1020L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 Years

About the Author

Ruth Ellwand, a children's publishing specialist, previously collaborated with her husband, David, on Midas Mouse. She lives with him in West Sussex, England.

David Ellwand, creator of the internationally renowned Fairie-ality, Cinderlily, and many other acclaimed books, is a photographer, artist, and printmaker whose home in West Sussex, England, is located very near the mysterious happenings in this book.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 6 Up

Ethereal, sepia-toned photos meld with folklore elements to create an evocative glimpse at the indiscernible boundary between reality and fantasy. In journal format, photographer David Ellwand employs descriptive text and eerily beautiful images to describe his rambles in the English Downs and his discovery of an ancient flint stone. Looking through the hole worn into this "devil eye," he sees a ball of light and follows it to a tumbledown house, where he finds an antique chest containing some unusual relics and an old phonograph recording. Part Two, also illustrated with photos, presents the transcript of this recording made in 1889 by Isaac Wilde, a photographer hired by Dr. Gibson Gayle to document the excavation of a Neolithic flint mine. Though the site is rumored to be haunted by fairies, the arrogant archaeologist intends to quell all superstition through "the faithful transcription of objective reality." The strange events that transpire at Pixhole evoke mystery and suspense, as the "world of reason" collides with "the hidden life of the natural world." Throughout, verbal and visual images are perfectly intertwined to create a magic-infused mood and propel the plot. Whether landscape pictures of gnarled tree roots or close-ups of "artifacts" (e.g., a delicate suit of armor made from oyster and mussel shells), the photos are effective and eye-catching. This intriguing, perhaps slightly unsettling tale can inspire discussion about perception and different ways of seeing.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

Beautiful photographs are juxtaposed against subtly quiet text in this unusual fantasy. While rambling on the Downs, the narrator discovers a chest containing documents of a strange occurrence. The chest belonged to an Isaac Wilde: a photographer who, after taking employment on an archaeological site, stumbles upon the fairy world after the dig disrupts their mound. He sets out-and manages-successfully to photograph a fairy but, to his chagrin, he is mocked by his employer and peers and is then accused of presenting a forgery. After giving Wilde a ruthless taunting, his boss mysteriously vanishes, and only Wilde-and now the readers-knows the ultimate truth behind his disappearance. An open-ended conclusion and a collection of "evidence" leave readers to discern the characters' fates. A naturalistic slant to the photography helps make the fantasy concept plausible. Visually interesting, but the slow pace and vagueness may not hold the interest for some. However, fans of the fairy realm will most likely be enchanted by this subdued tale. (Fantasy. 10 & up)

Kirkus Reviews