7 DECEMBER 1901, Page 51

A Real Queen's Fairy-Book. By Carmen Sylva, (G. Newnes. 'Cs.)—These

fairy-stories are admirable in their way, as good, in fact, as we should expect them to be when they come from "Carmen Sylva's " pan. What we most miss in them is the delightful irresponsibility of the old fairy-story in which the chief and best rewarded virtue is being a King's youngest son. All, too, are not real fairy-stories. There is "A Festival in Heaven," which is a bit of as cheerful optimism as we have ever seen. All the same, this is a pretty book, with some good illuatrations.