Ushig

Kelpies, selkies and trows – oh, my! Scottish folklore (and specifically, Robert Kirk’s The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies) is the basis of the latest novel by award-winning author Annemarie Allan; but don’t expect a twee fairy tale. Rather, this is a thrilling, contemporary and darkly beautiful adventure, with the power to touch the imagination of the most cynical of KS2 pupils. The themes covered include the fine line between courage and folly, and the even subtler one dividing good and evil, offering tremendous scope for philosophical classroom discussion, along with perhaps more predictable (but no less useful) activities involving art and creative writing. A free teacher’s guide to the book, including suggestions for before and after reading, plus a handy vocabulary checklist, can be downloaded from florisbooks.co.uk.

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