Interview with Tracy Kane, author of the Fairy House series

by Debra Ross

Kids and adults have been building fairy houses for ages, but it took author/illustrator Tracy Kane's quiet and profoundly lovely video Kristen's Fairy House, released 15 years ago, to provide the momentum to help the fairy house movement become the gentle craze that it is today. Here is KidsOutAndAbout's interview with Tracy.

KOAA: What inspired you to write the Fairy Houses Series?

Tracy: Parents and Grandparents alike see the delight in the kids as they create their own fairy houses. As a subject, fairies make beautiful art. In my first book, Fairy Houses, a child explores the woods and creates a fairy house that attracts many animal visitors. This unique activity engages children with nature and inspires their imagination. As an artist, I was inspired to capture that on the page.

KOAA: Why do children of all ages like building fairy houses?

Tracy: Fairy houses appeal to children and adults because it stimulates their creativity and sense of wonderment. They can be built in any natural environment; woods, gardens, beaches, and backyards. This activity fosters exploration and a respect for nature. A milkweed pod could be a soft bed for a fairy and a vine might make a terrific swing. A trip to the beach turns into a scavenger hunt for seashells, kelp, or driftwood. Building encourages teamwork - a terrific way for a family and friends to come together for outdoor fun!
   
KOAA: What’s coming in the Fairy Houses Series?

Tracy: The Fairy Houses Series began over 15 years ago when we produced the video Kristen’s Fairy House.  Fairy houses were relatively unknown at the time. The incredible response we had from the video inspired me to write the Fairy Houses Series of books geared for young children. For middle-grade readers, I wrote my first mystery chapter book, Forest Secrets. This is a story of Luke & Kate who uncover a secret fairy house with mysterious clues that help them save the woods in their community.

My next chapter book, Ocean Secrets, continues with an island adventure. You can look for it early in 2014! (Note from editor: You can see a short video about the making of Ocean Secrets below.)

KOAA: How has being involved with the fairy house movement affected your professional direction?

Tracy: I grew up in a neighborhood with lots of kids, open spaces and plenty of time to be a kid and play outside. Over the years, it has become harder for working parents to find ways to get kids outside and interacting with nature, especially with modern electronic distractions. I became a supporter of the “No Child Left Inside” initiative as a way to educate young people about the importance of the environment. Building fairy houses is a vehicle to swing the pendulum towards nature and the wonders it holds.

KOAA: You "tour" every summer. Can you tell us about that?

Tracy: The Fairy Houses Tour connects with communities predominantly in the Northeast area of the U.S., beginning early in the summer. As the weather turns colder, the Tour heads south along the Eastern seaboard.

We began the tour as a way to help get kids outside in nature, energize, and raise funds for schools, community organizations, garden clubs, libraries, and nature groups of all kinds.

Some tours are very large and require a lot of coordination while others may be simpler, involving a reading of one of the books from the Fairy Houses series and on-site building of fairy houses. Either way, it’s so much fun to meet the kids, answer questions, and spend time together. You can find an event near you on our event calendar or Like Us on Facebook to see if an event is coming to your area or to receive special promotional offers.

KOAA: Can community groups contact you to bring you to their region?

Tracy: Absolutely! I’m always pleased to hear from groups and welcome the opportunity to spread the message of “No Kid Left Inside”! You can reach me at our contact page on the website.

KOAA: Where can parents and kids go to find out more about you, your books, where you'll be traveling, and fairy houses in general?

Tracy: We have a website, http://www.fairyhouses.com, which connects us to our fans young and old. We have lots of information and photos that will inspire you to create your own fairy house! We also have fun activities for kids and they can join the Fairy Houses Club where they can post pictures of their creations, vote on their favorite fairy house, watch videos and share with other fans!
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Inspire your children to unleash their imaginations through building Fairy Houses. Spark this with a gift from the award-winning Fairy Houses Series of books and DVD.

Fairy Houses $15.95 Children love this classic tale that takes Kristen into the woods to build her own Fairy House. Each time Kristen checks on her fairy house, there is an unexpected visitor from Nature!
Fairy Houses Trilogy $24.95 The original Fairy Houses, combined with sequels Fairy Boat and Fairy Flight, these enchanting stories reveal how nature inspires children’s imaginations and captures their hearts.
Kristen’s Fairy House DVD $14.95 This timeless video tells the story of Kristen, who discovers the magical world of Fairy Houses while on vacation with her Aunt Tracy. As they share an island adventure, a special relationship develops and Kristen becomes the heroine of her own story.
Forest Secrets: A Fairy Houses Mystery $14.95 This chapter book is perfect for the growing reader in your home! Kate is thrilled when she discovers a fairy house hidden in the trunk of a tree. Inside the house, they find a mysterious note that is the start of a great adventure.
Fairy Houses…Unbelievable! $19.95 This coffee-table book takes you on a unique photographic tour of the most intricate and magical Fairy Houses ever created!
Fairy Houses…Everywhere! $14.95 Turn the pages and discover a world filled with whimsical habitats constructed from natural materials. From rustic dwellings to fairy mansions, these small structures are …Everywhere!
Fairy Houses, and Beyond! $15.95 This book proves that Fairy Houses are limitless as a child’s imagination. Take a photographic tour of fairy house neighborhoods, coastal fairy communities, and even a fairy house spa!

Here is a video of Tracy developing her new book, Ocean Secrets:

Debra Ross is publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com.