September has traveled to Fairyland twice, and every time she returns to the mundane world, she finds herself longing to return. 
 But she has to take an unexpected route back in "The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two," the third novel in Catherynne M. Valente's Fairyland series. And those who enjoyed the previous two books will know what to expect -- a luminous, dazzling mixture of Narnia and Wonderland, with whimsical imaginings and lushly jeweled prose. 
 The war is almost over, September has turned fourteen, and she's begun to worry that she's becoming too old to travel to Fairyland (although she is constantly prepared to pop back over). But then she manages to hitchhike with the Blue Wind over the tattered Line between worlds -- and once again, finds herself in a bizarre little segment of the magical world. Not quite in Fairyland, though. 
 After getting labeled a criminal and acquiring a car names Arostook, September sets out for Fairyland -- and ends up on a strange odyssey with a Klabautermann (otter-mariner), a journey to the moon, the Almanack and the Black Cosmic Dog. But after being reunited with an old friend, she learns of a new sinister creature causing trouble -- Ciderskin, a Yeti who wants to conquer the Moon and cause destruction to Fairyland. 
 Compared to the first two books, "The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two" takes awhile to get its bearings -- the first half is just September meandering around, encountering wacky creatures. It's only after she encounters A-Through-L and Abecedaria that we find out what's ultimately going on -- and after that, it takes some unexpected twists (including one that will leave you frothing for the fourth book). 
 But few authors can make this sort of oddball whimsy as enchanting as Valente can. Her prose is exquisitely lovely ("The storm fell in silver streamers"), and her story overflows with whimsical imagination ("The skin of the bears was all folded envelopes; they stared out of sealing-wax eyes") and a wicked sense of punnery (Taxicrabs! A literal "Valentine"). And she even introduces some new ideas, such as the Line and the magical means of maintaining it, or the talking greyhound. Despite the rambling storyline, it just is so charming and odd. 
 But she also addresses a theme in many fantasy stories -- growing up and the loss of cbildhood's magic. September worries that she's growing too old (now that she's a teen) to venture into Fairyland, as often happens in such stories. But she's assured, "The whole point of growing is to get big enough to hold the world you want inside you." Exhibit A: The Wyverary. 
 And September's growth shows in the way she makes her way through Fairyland. Despite the heedless way she hops over the Line, she's becoming less childishly heartless and more sensitive and observant -- in short, she's growing up while maintaining the magic. It certainly makes you wonder where she's going to be by the series' end, and what kind of person she will be. 
 "The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two" rambles for awhile, but it's still full of whimsy, magic and a glimpse of our heroine's "growing up." And it leaves you dangling to find out what adventures in Fairyland are next.