Review by Kelly Jarvis: Fairylore: A Compendium of the Fae Folk by Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman

Fairylore: A Compendium of the Fae Folk is a beautifully illustrated encyclopedia of fairy lore that belongs on every library shelf. Collaboratively written by Dr. Sara Cleto and Dr. Brittany Warman, the professors behind the Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, Fairylore features an incredible depth and breadth of research presented with engaging and accessible prose. The cover art and chapter paintings by Annie Stegg Gerard, and the interior drawings by Kristen Kwan, blend seamlessly with narrative explorations of otherworldly creatures, creating a multifaceted experience which invites readers into a fairy circle of magic and delight.

Fairylore, which is dedicated to “all Carterhaugh students of the past, present, and future,” begins with an introduction that addresses the slippery nature of fairies themselves. After discussing the roots of the word “fairy,” Cleto and Warman investigate several theories regarding where fairies come from and how they live, grounding readers in an academic study of the fairy world even as they draw them deeper into the realm of enchantment. Unlike less-researched sources of fairy lore which often collapse the notion of “fairy” into one universal idea, Fairylore deftly explores distinct cultural depictions of fairies while also allowing transcendent similarities in the functions of fairies to resonate. The introduction establishes an endearing and lighthearted tone supported by a framework of vast scholarly knowledge, helping readers recognize that fairies are often “a reflection of the people who tell stories about them.” Cleto and Warman expertly pose and answer questions about fairies as they open a space for continued contemplation.

Rather than use an alphabetical or geographical method of organization, Cleto and Warman structure their chapters around types of fairies, which forces readers to think about what the creatures mean to the people who spin stories about them. Chapters include Fairies of the Home, Fairies of Seduction, Fairies of Terror, Fairies of Nature, and Fairy Neighbors (all of which feature entries on fairies from cultures around the globe). The final chapter, Our Fairies, Ourselves, blurs the boundaries between the fairy and human realms, exploring topics like changelings, the cunning folk, and fairy midwives. Each chapter is punctuated with reprintings of stories told by famous fairy tale writers like Hans Christian Andersen and Lafcadio Hearn. The unique structure of Fairylore allows both those new to fairy study and those who already have knowledge in the field to contemplate fairy lore in innovative ways.

In a beautiful forward to the compendium, Terri Windling speaks of fairies as “prickly” creatures who exist in the dangerous but exhilarating spaces “betwixt and between.” She invites readers to “turn the page” and “cross over the threshold,” ensuring them they are safe in the capable hands of Cleto and Warman, scholars who have meticulously studied the fairy world without losing hold of its magic. Fairylore: A Compendium of the Fae Folk is a necessary book for all those who seek the rare blend of intellectual contemplation and fairy enchantment that Dr. Sara Cleto and Dr. Brittany Warman provide. It is both a valuable academic resource and a work of art that I will cherish and return to often as I continue to explore the fairy magic that beckons from “betwixt and between.”

You can find it here.

Kelly Jarvis teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University and works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and a Recurring Columnist for Eternal Haunted Summer. Her poetry and fiction have appeared in A Moon of One’s Own, Baseball Bard, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Enchanted Conversation, Forget Me Not Press, Mermaids Monthly, Mothers of Enchantment, The Chamber Magazine, and The Magic of Us. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was selected as a semi-finalist in the 2025-2026 Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship. Visit Kelly online at kellyjarviswriter.com.