‘Animal Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland’ is written by Sharon Jacksties, illustrated by Bea Baranowska and recently published in hardback by The History Press. Stories and animals have long travelled the same routes. Through this collection of short stories both familiar and new, you will find yourself re-acquainted with Britain’s wondrous animal life. Find out how hedgehog ended up with spines and what makes him scuttle so fast, discover how pigs saved a prince from leprosy and why the wealthy lord was so intent on capturing the black fox. Sharon Jacksties’ book combines traditional stories, little-known zoological facts and true anecdotes to create a treasure trove of stories for animal lovers of every kind.
What I thought of the book
The first thing which grabbed me about this collection of folk tales was the beautifully illustrated cover, featuring fox, magpie, stag, hare and eagle surrounded by a beautiful selection of flora from the forest. It made me want to pick up the book and begin reading immediately, to be transported into the woodland worlds of these animals. The beginning of each chapter is marked with a similar illustration and they act as a bold punctuation throughout the book. They also give visual clues to the animals which will appear in chapters with such lyrical titles as ‘Running Wild’, ‘On the wing’ and ‘Reclaiming the right to roam’.
There are over 60 tales within this book. Many of the animals of Britain and Ireland have a place among the pages – from fly and flea, through swallows, goats, donkeys, the mystical selkie and right up to the magnificent whale. Some tales are short, and some very short; some you may know by heart, some you may know the bones of, and some may be altogether new. There are fables of larger than life folk heroes, like Arthur and Oisin. There are also tales of smaller heroes – like brave mother hare, the grateful weasel and Robert Bruce’s persevering spider. Many of the chapters contain both the familiar and the unknown and this mix – and the variety of the stories – works well in keeping the reader engaged.
This book is a good introduction to folk tales, as it shows the place of nursery rhymes and well-known phrases in some of the stories. As some of the pieces are so short, I felt that the chapters might have benefitted by being held together by comments from the author or similar in a few places. For this reason, I think that the tales would work best either to be dipped in and out of when you have a few minutes to spare, either as a reader or a listener. I can imagine that they would be brought vividly to life with props, shadow puppets or the drama of the story teller’s voice. So, gather the people at home, tell the stories out loud and be prepared to be transported to the forests, castles, woodland and coastlines belonging to the animals of Britain and Ireland.
How much is the book and how can you buy it?
‘Animal folk tales of Britain and Ireland’ is written by Sharon Jacksties, illustrated by Bea Baranowska and published by The History Press. The hardback retails for £12.99 and can be purchased here. The ebook is priced at £3.99 and can be purchased via this link.
About the author
Sharon Jacksties tells stories to audiences of adults, young people and families. Her dynamic and versatile performances draw on stories from all over the world. Interpreting the wisdom of traditional material for contemporary audiences, her repertoire includes tales that have rarely been heard in this country. Sharon has worked in France, Romania and India and is developing her bilingual practise storytelling in French as an aid for those learning French as a second language.
The Society for Storytelling has championed the ancient art of oral storytelling – and its role in entertainment, education, health, inspiring & changing lives – since 1993. Storytellers, enthusiasts and academics support, and are supported by, this registered charity to ensure the art is nurtured and developed throughout the U.K.
About the book
Title: Animal folk takes of Britain and Ireland
Author: Sharon Jacksties; Illustrator: Bea Baranowska
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 978-0750991353
Trim Size: 198x129mm
Pages: 192 pages
Review by: Sharon Corbally
You may also want to read this:
Book review: ‘Folk tales of rock and stone’ by Jenny Moon
Book Review: Folk Tales for Bold Girls by Fiona Collins
Book Review: The Anthology of English Folk Tales by various authors
* We were given a copy of the book in return for a feature. All opinions are our own.
28 comments
This sounds like a great book, I love books like this full of tales of animals. This would have been a book to read love and keep for C when she was younger
Fab book especially if you love anything and everything about Folk Tales
The cover design is simply beautiful, certainly makes you want to pick up the book and discover what lays on it’s pages.
I do agree, stunning illustrations indeed
What a lovely idea for a book. So many children have little or no access to the countryside and this is a great way of teaching them about our precious wildlife.
I do agree and telling them some interesting stories as you go along as well
I am intrigued just by looking at the cover. Sounds like a great read and what many books are missing atm – tales! Used to love them
Not too late to read folktales again, this is a great book to start with
That cover is absolutely stunning! This sounds like such a wonderful book – I bet my Jack would love it.
I am sure he would indeed, so full of stories and adventures
What a lovel idea, we bought a similar one when visiting Iceland, full of their folk stories
How wonderful! I would love to read that book as well
This sounds like a great book! I havent read it myself but funnily enough my friend has and they really enjoyed it!!
How wonderful! Glad to hear that
I absolutely love the cover! Sounds like a great book overall 🙂
Yes a fab book, especially if you love folk tales
This sounds like such an amazing book and that cover is stunning as well – definitely something that will jump off the shelf. I love learning about folk tales.
Yes it is a fabulous looking cover, hope you get a copy of the book
This book would make for a great gift, as the cover is super pretty. I would love to give this a read x
It is a fantastic book to keep for yourself or as you say turned into a gift for someone who loves folklore
Being Welsh where we have our share of legends I adore folk stories so this book is my kind of book. Love the beautifully illustrated cover. I am going to pick up a copy just for the cover.
How wonderful to hear that and I am sure you will enjoy this book as much as I did
What a lovely idea for a book and a nice way for children and/or adults to enjoy animals.
Agree especially if they are told in folk tales as well
I love the cover, it’s so eye catching. It sounds like a great book for the kids to enjoy.
It is a fab book for adults or kids alike
I like the sound of this book , I am sure my niece who loves all books about animals would love to have it. A lovely book to read with your child .
Agree a fantastic book to fuel their imagination