Trees are symbols of life itself. We cut them down at our peril. Here is a leafy anthology of 12 traditional tales from all over the Earth's surface, from Native North America to New Guinea and from Wales to Nepal. They include tales of high magic, bravery and guile, death and rebirth, each woven around a tree Eric Maddern's and Helen East's spirited storytelling combines with Alan Marks' romantic artwork to create a lively and thought-provoking collection. How Trees Came to Be (Creation myth, Native New Zealand); The Stolen Spoons (Poplar, Greece); The Knot Hole (Pine, Sweden); The Yellow-Cedar Sisters (Yellow cedar, Native North America); The Flame Tree (Flame, Uganda); The Green Ladies of One Tree Hill (Beech, Ireland and England); Rhododendron and Little Alder (Rhododendron/alder, Nepal); The Tree with Three Fruits (Oak, Wales); The Coconut Fisherman (Coconut, New Guinea); The Willow Tree (Willow, Japan); Kooboo and the Gum Tree (Eucalyptus, Australia); The Silver Birch (Silver birch, Germany)
Table of Contents
How trees came to be; the stolen spoons; the knot hole; the yellow-cedar sisters; the flame tree; the green ladies of One Tree Hill; rhododendron and little alder; the tree with three fruits; the coconut fisherman; the willow tree; kooboo and the gum tree; the silver birch.
Author Biography
Eric Maddern is a world traveller. Since the 1980's he has worked as a professional storyteller. He also writes children's stories for Radio Wales and in 1996 scripted a television series on Stonehenge, Merlin and the Holy Grail. His books for Frances Lincoln include Earth Story and Life Story, Curious Clownfish and Rainbow Bird. The Fire Children, illustrated by Frane Lessac, was chosen for Junior Education Books of the Year 1993 and selected for Children's Books of the Year 1994. Helen East was born in Sri Lanka and has since lived and travelled all over the world teaching, performing and writing. She became a professional storyteller in 1979. She has written a series for the BBC World Service entitled "Everyday Science". Her children's picture books include Dora the Storer, Down in the Dark and The Tale of the Tooth Fairy (all Macdonald), The Singing Sack and Look Lively, Rest Easy (both A&C Black). Alan Marks took his degree in Art at Bath Academy and has subsequently illustrated over 30 children's books. His first book, Storm, written by Kevin Crossley Holland (Heinemann) won the 1992 Carnegie Medal, Ring a Ring o'Roses (Picture Book Studio) the 1992 Bologna UNICEF Award, and Over the Hills and Far Away (Picture Book Studio) the NAPPA Silver Medal and Parents' Choice Illustration Award in the U.S.A. In 1996 Thomas and the Tinners (Macdonald Young Books), by Jill Paton Walsh, was shortlisted for the Smarties Prize. His latest Frances Lincoln book is Rosalind Kerven's The Enchanted Forest.
