FAEDOM by Agnes Monod-Gayraud (Author), Lorna White (Author), Nadzeya Makeyeva (Illustrator) (EXCERPT)
Explore the legendary world of fairies in this bewitchingly illustrated guide to the mythical realm.
Faedom will take you on an enchanting ride through fascinating fairy facts and fictions, revealing the secrets of where fairies come from and what lies behind their spectacular powers and personalities.
Inspired by the age-old myths that have long insisted that fairies are very much real, this book draws upon the great store of cultural and literary references from around the world to create a comprehensive compendium of these fascinating creatures. Fairy tales come to life across the pages, with vibrant stories, songs, poems, facts, figures and folklore to entertain and inform readers of all ages.
Faedom is out today, you can order your copy on Bookshop.org
WELCOME TO FAEDOM
Fairies are the heart and soul of the enchanted world of the fae. They share this enigmatic realm with a panoply of mythical beings and beasts. Fantastic and familiar; they inhabit the woods, meadows and streams of all the fairy tales we have come to love through the ages.
Fairies….
Fairies were born of the spark that illuminated the darkness as the Universe came into being many billions of years ago. They are the ancient fates, destinies, guardians, guides, gatekeepers, muses and messengers who have forged a bridge between the enchanted realm of magic and mysticism and the material world of nature and human civilisation.
These mystical heroes have been at the centre of epic mythologies, passed through the oral traditions of folk cultures across the globe over countless generations. The earliest written records of fairies include Ferdowsi’s epic poem Shahnameh at the turn of the tenth century and the numerous fae that feature in medieval iterations of the Arthurian legends, to Shakespeare’s own dramatic ode to the fae in A Midsummer Night’s Dream four hundred years ago. And of course, there are the fairy tales that have been immortalised by countless retellings, the most famous of which were set down on paper by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. Even Oscar Wilde compiled his own collection of charismatic fairy stories. Fairy tales have left an indelible mark on our world, transporting us to a place of imagination and wonder while lending a vital lesson on human foibles and follies.
The MOON FAIRY
LUNELLA
In the evening, Lunella rises from her fairy castle on the Moon to illuminate the night sky. She is the force that keeps our world in balance, staying in perfect rhythm with the Earth across the cosmic ballroom of the galaxy.

Illustration copyright © 2024 by Nadzeya Makeyeva
Lunella is independent and unpredictable, showing her many faces and moods throughout all 28 days of the lunar cycle. She tends to get grumpy when she hasn’t had enough rest, especially on the morning after a full moon. Yet she has a right to be exhausted after dancing the night away with her cousins, Marina and the Sea Fairies, and swimming along the tides that ebb and flow on her command.
Lunella is the fairy of self-reflection, healing and renewal. She sings gentle songs of happy dreams to children in their sleep, helping the Dream Fairy chase away nightmares with her moonstone wand. When the dawn comes, she greets the Sun Fairy who arrives to take her place in the sky.
Twice a year, on the equinox, Lunella and the Sun Fairy stay up together to sing, dance and play all day and night. They concoct a special elixir exclusively for this celebration: a nectar made of freshly squeezed moon and sun rays. Just before dawn, they share their favourite stories of day and night, revealing the slumbering secrets of the world. On rare occasions, they get so excited that they bump into each other! This causes a total eclipse when day and night become one for an instant.
If you are lucky, you might encounter Lunella on a Blue Moon. Keep an eye out past midnight and you may spot her silver hair flashing across the sky. As her moondust wings flutter, she might be sipping moondew from an angel’s trumpet or skipping upon your windowsill in search of moonflowers and moonstones to add to her collection.
Wish Upon the Moon
If you would like to share a special wish with the Moon Fairy, wait for the next new moon phase. Write it down on a piece of paper and place it on the windowsill or somewhere safe outside for Lunella to find. Once she discovers it, she will do everything in her power to make your wish come true by the time the moon cycle is complete.
Faedom is out today, you can order your copy on Bookshop.org
Agnes Monod-Gayraud (Author)
Agnes Monod-Gayraud is an award-winning translator of children’s books and language editor at the Astronomy & Astrophysics academic journal.Lorna White (Author)
Lorna White is a writer and researcher whose focus and expertise is in Ancient Mythology and Folklore.
Nadzeya Makeyeva (Illustrator)
Nadzeya Makeyeva is an artist and illustration designer living and working in San Francisco, CA.She has created art for Forbes, Entertainment Weekly, Tatler, L’Oréal, Volkswagen as well as many other magazines and brands.
Faedom is her first illustrated book.