Travellers Tales – serie

When Polonius the pit pony escapes from the coal mine he’s worked in all his life, he joins a family of Travellers. Although he enjoys the freedom and the fresh air that their lifestyle offers, he wishes he could give something back to the family in return.When the chance arrives for him to do something to help, he rises to the challenge, and uses his intelligence and skills to save the day.Based on true events and retold by a master of the oral tradition, this story bears witness to the Traveller values of independence, initiative, courage and hard work.

In this new addition to our ‘Travellers’ Tales’ series, Sonny devotes his weekend to helping his neighbours and fellow Travellers with a variety of tasks. He uses many skills, from calculating the amount of fuel needed for a journey, to restoring a caravan. In fact, the only thing he doesn’t do over the weekend is his homework – his workbook is missing! What will his teacher say? This new picture book by Richard O’Neill champions the idea that many skills learned at home are as important as those learned at school.Shortlisted for the Teach Early Years Awards 2020 (Picture Books Category)!

When Janie’s neighbour Mrs Tolen goes into hospital with a broken hip, it looks as though she will have to move out of her old caravan and into a house. Janie is desperate to help, but all seems lost until her school visits a local recycling plant. All it takes from there is imagination, a supportive community, and lots and lots of hard work to transform Mrs Tolen’s old caravan into a safe and secure new home! The latest picture book by renowned Romani storyteller Richard O’Neill celebrates the traditional Traveller virtues of resilience, adaptability, loyalty and independence.

A new picture book from celebrated Romani storyteller Richard O’Neill about how the power of stories can help us recognise our shared humanity.Two small towns, on opposite banks of the same river, want nothing to do with each other. No one knows why; that’s the way it’s always been. It’s only when a group of Travelling craftspeople arrive that questions are asked and things begin to change. Shared tales, dances, and food, together with an old storycoat, spark curiosity among the townspeople.Gradually, almost magically, the children of both towns realise that they have more in common than what keeps them apart. By the time the Travellers leave, a bridge has been formed to join the two communities forever. And the storycoat has a new story to tell.

A new picture book from celebrated Romani storyteller Richard O’Neill about how the power of stories can help us recognize our shared humanity.Two small towns, on opposite banks of the same river, want nothing to do with each other. No one knows why; that’s the way it’s always been. It’s only when a group of Traveling craftspeople arrive that questions are asked and things begin to change. Shared tales, dances, and food, together with an old storycoat, spark curiosity among the townspeople.Gradually, almost magically, the children of both towns realize that they have more in common than what keeps them apart. By the time the Travelers leave, a bridge has been formed to join the two communities forever. And the storycoat has a new story to tell.

A Traveller girl creates her own musical instrument from a willow branch and lots of recycled objects. She plays it enthusiastically, but it sounds terrible! Ignoring warnings not to awaken the ogre in the hills, Ossiri goes there to practise playing her instrument. Will she wake the ogre, and will it appreciate her playing? Told by a Romani storyteller and a picture book author, this original tale offers a fascinating insight into Travelling lifestyles and cultures.

When a Traveller family experiences a run of bad luck, an imaginative boy called Yokki lifts their spirits with tales of a magical white horse. A traditional Traveller-family folk tale which inspires hope and celebrates creativity. Told by a Romani storyteller together with a picture book author to positively reflect Travelling cultures.