Every so often, I like to spend some time with a book that reminds me of how I fell in love with reading. For me, that means memories of being curled up under the covers with a fairy tale. These four little books prove that magical things often come in small packages. They may offer new interpretations of old stories that many of us might have come to love when we were young, but each also speaks to the wisdom and perspective of adulthood. I have such a deep love for this little subgenre, and I hope you’ll join me as I share a few of my favorites.

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

Sisters Esther and Isobel live at the river’s edge, guardians of a pair of enchanted willow trees. The two are inseparable, but tragedy strikes when the actions of a jealous suitor threaten to separate them forever. With the help of her faerie sweetheart Rin, Esther will have to struggle her way back across the boundary between real and unreal to save her sister before it’s too late. This novella was El-Mohtar’s highly anticipated solo debut after the smash success of her collaboration with Max Gladstone, This Is How You Lose The Time War. It’s everything her fans were looking for. El-Mohtar’s lyrical prose is excellently matched to a story interwoven with the themes of traditional folk ballads, particularly Twa Sisters, although this book flips the script on hero and villain from the original tale. The book also features evocative illustrations by Kathleen Neeley, as well as a sneak preview of El-Mohtar’s upcoming short story collection.

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