One lonely seal
in the midst of the ocean
rolls on the waves
to the rhythmical motion.
The seal watches over
the child on the sand.
Her lovely young daughter
born of the land.
On Midsummer’s Eve seals swim up onto the sand, shed their skin and transform into beautiful young women to give thanks to the mysterious Moon Goddess.
Lost in dance, no one notices a shimmering sealskin being stolen; leaving one beautiful Selkie trapped on the land forever.
Can an unlikely friend help her reclaim her skin, or is she destined to remain forever in human form?
‘Seal Mother’ – a magical Selkie tale of love, loss and deceit, told in verse.
I devoured this short story, so skilfully written by an author who I have the utmost respect for. She doesn’t write for the masses, she doesn’t stray into writing what is popular or in fashion. Rose English writes from the heart about things that capture her vivid imagination and she weaves a story so beautiful that it feels as though she has placed her hands around your heart and is squeezing gently.
Seal Mother is a tragic tale of love, betrayal, loss and heart-breaking decisions. It’s a children book, but don’t let that stop you from reading it as an adult. Let Rose’s poetical verse sweep you into a maelstrom of emotions as you forget your existence for a while and ride the waves with Seal Mother and her emotional journey.
A imaginative and beautiful retelling in pacey verse of an ancient story from Scots/Irish/Norse folklore. The illustrations are charming and the book is suitable for all ages but especially the young and the young at heart.
I loved this wonderful rhyming interpretation of the Selkie folklore.
The story tells the tale of a seal, trapped on land when a fisherman steals her pelt on midsummer’s eve. She marries and has a family but always misses her old way of life, until one day she finds her seal skin and returns to the sea.
The beautiful illustrations add to this entertaining and poignant story.
“Seal Mother” by Rose English is a beautiful, poignant story told in rhyme. I love the fairy-tale feeling of the helpful mouse and the way a shell is used to communicate. Illustrations further bring this tale to life. The dance of the Selkies is one of my favorite pictures; it perfectly captures the moment.
Trapped on land, the Selkie has an overpowering need to reclaim her life in the sea, to be free, to be herself. The ending is powerful. This story spoke to me of our own need to be true to ourselves. “Seal Mother” would be an excellent read for all ages.
This story broke my heart in that way a good book has when it stays with you. To me it was almost an allegory for man’s interference with nature and the consequences were dire. It was a beautiful story told in verse. I loved it enough I’m going to order the actual book. The Kindle version is lovely, but the illustrations need to be appreciated also. I highly recommend this book to all ages.
Miss Ruby Heart is a golden red King Charles spaniel, who is sadly a little ghost puppy. Her guardian is the magical longcase clock Grandfather Time. Together this unusual pair like to tell stories in rhythm and rhyme. They love reading and wish to share their joy with children, young readers and those simply young at heart.
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