Can anyone help my mum find the name of this book from her childhood

[ButteredRadishes]

Mum has been trying for decades (literally) to remember a book she read when she was young (1950s) this is what she remembers;

• A fairy stayed behind when all the other fairies left (possibly some sort of migration?)
• The fairy set up home in a lamp post.
• There was possibly a bird that made a nest or similar with it's down that it plucked from its belly/chest.
• There may have been a mouse in the story.

Please help wise wisdom filled MumsNetters!

Could it be a story from an Enid Blyton book?

She doesn't think so. It was a standalone book and she remembers the front cover had the fairy (and possibly the bird and mouse) in the street lamp.

Might be no help but I put your query into ChatGPT and got these.

1. Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen

In this tale, Thumbelina is a tiny girl who experiences various adventures:

• She is left behind or separated from others.
• She seeks shelter in unconventional places.
• She is aided by animals, including a bird and a mouse.

These elements align with your mum’s memories of a fairy staying behind, setting up home in a lamp post, and interactions with birds and mice.

2. The Fairy Who Believed in Human Beings by Gertrude Alice Kay

This 1918 book tells the story of a fairy who stays behind when others leave, fascinated by humans. While it doesn’t mention a lamp post, the theme of a fairy remaining behind resonates with your mum’s recollection.

3. The Little Bookroom by Eleanor Farjeon

Published in 1955, this collection includes various fairy tales. While none match the description exactly, the stories often involve fairies, animals, and unique dwellings, which might be reminiscent of your mum’s memories.

4. Peg’s Fairy Book by Peg Maltby

This 1944 book features fairies and whimsical illustrations. While specific story details are scarce, the themes and imagery might align with your mum’s recollections.

She doesn't think it's those ones

Is it Twig by Elizabeth Orton Jones?

Hi, I also put it into ChatGPT:

1. A Fairy To Stay – Margaret Beatrice Lodge
2. The Fairy Caravan – Beatrix Potter

The fairy and the mouse by Arthur Leslie Walker?

No, but this seems lovely and might get a copy to read to my 5 year old

Have you found the name?

No :(