Could this be one of the Books Forgotten, too? Everybody knows "Alice`s Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass",
and almost everybody likes the books, but "Sylvie and Bruno" seems to be neglected, for some reason. The book tells the reader about two fairy children, the Fairy King`s daughter and son. It is also about a provincial doctor and some of his friends. The two stories are separate, yet they intertwine most curiously, so that at times one cannot easily tell where the Fairyland ends and the "real life" begins. Joy and sorrow blend together, too... There`s more sorrow in this book than in the"Alices", and perhaps that`s why the book is less popular. But this one is also funny! In it you will find the best verses written by Carroll: Crazy Gardener`s Song, The Pig That Could Not Jump, What Tottles Meant, Three Badgers and many more; some of them surpassed only by "The Hunting of the Snark".
The story begins with the Warden leaving on a journey. His brother the Sub-Warden is to take care of the Wardens dominions and his two children, sweet Sylvie and elf Bruno. But the Sub-Warden aspires to become the Warden (and even the Emperor), and his wife covets the heirdom for her own fat and nasty son Uggug. So that means black days for Sylvie and Bruno... But Sylvie has the Jewel her father has given her, and that makes it possible for the children to visit fairyland whenever they wish to. Afterwards, it turns out their father the Warden is the King of Fairyland.
And the Sub-Warden`s coming into power starts with the loyal subjects shouting for "Less Bread! More Taxes!"
The parallel story is about an old man coming to visit his friend, a young provincial doctor, and getting acquainted with some of the latter`s friends. Yet what`s most important is this old man turns out to be the link between the world of fairies and the "real" world.
The book is undeservedly forgotten and is well worth reading.