The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making is the first book in the Fairyland series. It was published in May 2011. The title of this book was originally mentioned as the favourite book of November in Catherynne Valente's much more adult book Palimpsest, before being written as it's own book.

Dedication
The dedication in The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making reads"'For all those who walked this strange road with me,""and held out their hands when I faltered.""This is a ship of our own making.'"

Synopsis
Just after her twelfth birthday, the Green Wind appears at September's kitchen window, riding on the Leopard of Little Breezes, while she is washing up, and offers to take her to Fairyland. She quickly accepts. September climbs out of the kitchen window to join the Green Wind on the back of the Leopard of Little Breezes, however, one of her shoes comes off as she does so, and is left on the kitchen floor. As they travel, the Green Wind explains the rules of Fairyland to September, and mentions the risk of punishment from the Marquess if you break any of the rules. One of the rules is that eating or drinking Fairy foodstuffs results in a binding contract to return at least one a year. September does not wave goodbye to her mother or father as they fly over the top of them. September asks the Green Wind how they're going to get to Fairyland, and he explains that the earth is a puzzle, like the one September's aunt Margaret brought back from Turkey when she was 9. They are going to unlock the earth and lock it back up again, and once they have done so, they will be in Fairyland. They arrive in the city of Westerly, where the Six Winds live. Since it's so cold in Westerly, the Green Wind gives September his green smoking jacket, which adjusts it's size to fit her, and creates a jewelled orange brooch shaped like key to please her. September and the Green Wind approach Latitude and Longitude. The Green Wind reveals the pieces of the puzzle. September acts out the pieces of the puzzle, using the pin of the brooch to prick her finger and leaves the key behind. Latitude and Longitude twist together, leaving a space that the Leopard of Little Breezes, the Green Wind and September can fit through.