Sherry Robinson – illustratör

The stories in this collection have slipped on a sunbeam, skidded on the dew and sprinted fast as a fox to be here with you. Of course, they’re true, puffed on to the page with a hint of lavender and a gust of sage. They tell of Sussex: its sparkling seas; chalk giants; wise witches and crossdressing smugglers. Once you’ve heard them, you’ll know that when leaves skitter, it’s Puck, the sprite of Sussex, fighting with his sister the Fairy Queen. When you hear laughter in the forest, it’s Flint, the phantom highwayman making his escape, and when you run over the Downs, you’ll remember they were shaped by the Devil’s buttocks. These tales – specially chosen for the enjoyment of 7- to 11-year-old readers – sparkle with magic and explode with adventure. Not only will children love to read them, or listen to them being read, these stories will also stimulate an interest in the county and help children engage with their own surroundings.

'For the time you are reading you are lost, lost to the magic of this book.' - Jo Glover, The Association of Master HerbalistsStories are spells. Healers have long recognised the need to travel to psychic realms, from heaven to Hesperides, to effect cures. Ancient medicinal manuscripts pair myth and magical incantation with instruction on how to dig up roots, make salves and concoct tinctures.Herba Mythica draws on this tradition and is a handbook for story-lovers and herbalists alike. Acclaimed storytellers from around the world choose plants that reflect their heritage or specialism and notes on plant origins, symbolism and healing properties complement each tale.In this collection mythology suggests that every bush, every flower is a deity who mirrors the healing action of the plant: Hecate is the hypnotic Poppy, Osiris the oracular Laurel and Tara the regenerative Lotus. And in folk tale, there are Willow fathers, Hawthorn mothers and brides who marry trees.Throughout, Sherry Robinson’s characterful drawings capture the light and shade of each plant, reminding us of their power to kill or cure.