Lore of the Wild by Claire Cock-Starkey

There is much to appreciate in nature and Claire Cock-Starkey introduces readers to an enchanting way to liven up your walks, and views of nature. Read on for her blog and see some of the images from inside!

Lore of the Wild is a real passion project for me. I have held an interest in folklore for many years, having always been fascinated by the words of wisdom passed on verbally down through the generations. I am also really interested in how people used to look to the natural world to provide explanations for things which are today covered by modern science. For me folklore adds an extra level to the world – one filled with stories, magic, wonder and delight – and this was something I wanted to share.

I have been a non-fiction writer for over a decade but Lore of the Wild is my first children’s book. My inspiration came from the many dog walks in the countryside I went on with my children. As we walk I am always trying to get them to look around properly and notice nature, from the swallows darting across the river to the first trees in bud. I found that they became much more engaged when I regaled them with some folklore. For example, when I told them about the weather lore that the colour of the first butterfly of the season you see can predict the weather for the whole summer, they were excited to try and spot a yellow butterfly (which traditionally meant sunny weather for the whole summer).

I found that folklore sparked some wonderful conversations about nature and beliefs. One day when we saw a hare running across the fields I told them of the traditional belief that hares are often witches in disguise. This really sparked their imaginations and it seemed to make the world around them just that little bit more magical.

With Lore of the Wild I wanted to capture that magic and bring nature folklore from all around the world together. I was so fortunate that Aitch came on board as the illustrator as her wonderful folksy style really captures the spirit of the book. Aitch’s colourful spreads and eye-catching illustrations bring the text alive. I hope that Lore of the Wild is one of those books that children will spend hours poring over, the text and illustrations working in tandem to get their imaginations soaring.

Researching Lore of the Wild was such a wonderful experience. I was already quite familiar with British folklore as that is my area of study (as well as working as a writer I am also undertaking a PhD part-time looking at the folklore of death and dying in nineteenth-century England) but it was so fascinating to look at traditional beliefs from other parts of the world and how these tied into folk tales and mythology. It made me look at things in a whole new light. Like many people I am pretty squeamish about spiders but when I read that in many cultures they are key characters in creation stories because of the determination and effort they go to when building their webs, it made me much more appreciative of these tiny architects.

Folklore and folk tales were traditionally used as a way to impart wisdom and so many folk characters act as a cautionary tales, teaching children how to keep safe. Foxgloves, for example, are beautiful but very poisonous and so in Ireland children were told that they belonged to the fairies and so should not be picked or the fairies would be upset.

I hope that by sharing these traditional tales and beliefs in Lore of the Wild, children will become more engaged in the natural world around them, and rediscover a bit of magic in their surroundings.

Lore of the Wild by Claire Cock-Starkey and Aitch is published by Wide Eyed Editions and is available from 21st September.