Unapologetically unsettling, a collection of interconnected, darkly funny short stories is not for the faint-hearted, but for those who like their reading to include the sinister and the macabre, it’s perfect. Fat is an aging, angry fairy who lives in a tree on a farm. He hates Bones, the adult son of the farmer. If Fat has few redeeming qualities, Bones has absolutely none, and the animosity between them rises to new levels the day the farmer dies. Fat’s plan to curse Bones backfires on the farmer’s wife, who ends up boneless on the kitchen floor before fairy and farmer’s son go at one another in a fury. And that’s just the opening story of this fresh, original offering that illuminates those parts of us all that are less than noble. At the same time, there are occasional, surprising moments of generosity across the stories featuring the people, flora, fauna, and fantastic living on the farm. Those moments are made all the brighter for standing out in stark contrast to the rest. The overall effect of this unusual and memorable work isn’t bleak, however, it’s sharp and invigorating. (Age 11 and older)