When Susan Coyne, an accomplished actor and founding member of Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre, was five years old, the world of fairies and make-believe was very much a reality. Kingfisher Days is her recollection of a summer spent vacationing at her family cottage as a little girl, when she received a series of magical letters from the fairy princess Nootsie Tah. It is these letters, actually penned by her elderly neighbour, R.C. Moir, that claim the majority of Kingfisher’s charm.

Moir’s spirited entries reveal him to be a maestro of the imagination. Skillfully composing the imaginary Nootsie Tah’s world from the poetry of Shakespeare, Shelley, and Keats, along with his own playful contributions, Moir gradually introduces Coyne to the great riches of literature and mythology. A careful exercise in subversive pedagogy, the letters are also a testament to Moir’s laudable character and reason enough for Coyne’s lifelong gratitude to him.

Coyne does her best to follow Moir’s lead. As Nootsie Tah’s five-year-old correspondent, she is an eager audience to the fairy princesses’ words. It is unfortunate, then, that the memoir’s connecting narrative – written by the adult Coyne – falls so short of Moir’s standard. The narrative voice ranges from a rambling, associative patter – as if Coyne is reverting to a childlike self – to the maturity of language and emotional distance of a thoughtful adult. Her choice of reminisences is occasionally puzzling. The scenes of her and Moir gardening together evoke a side of their friendship that is even richer than the letters can suggest. The reflections on the idiosyncratic nature of her dog only trivialize the narrative with inconsequential detail. Coyne also teases readers with snippets of intriguing family dynamics, but doesn’t offer enough detail to satisfy.

In spite of these failings, Coyne has come close to immortalizing a friendship that profoundly shaped her life, offering readers a fascinating glimpse of the man who planted the seeds that blossomed into an enduring passion for the arts.