Thank you to Karin Celestine for her latest book The Lightbringers which on a cold dull November afternoon in lockdown brought me warmth and joy. Feeling the shortening of days and a long winter ahead, this book lit up the afternoon with its delightful tale of the small creatures keeping safe the last sparks of light until it is time for The Lightbringers to start their journey.
Karin Celestine is an artist and author who has created Celestine and the Hare a unique world of hand felted characters, who star in a series of children’s books and animations with the theme of kindness and a touch of mischief. I am a great fan of Karin’s animations which make me smile and appreciate her creativity.
The Lightbringers is the first of a series of four books inspired by the seasons. The book invites the reader into the world of tiny creatures who at the end of summer preparing for the winter ahead and the long sleep when “We feel like the light will never come back again.”
The tale is simply told with a gentle rhythm and illustrated throughout with gorgeous photographs of the creatures in various natural environments. The photographs have so much attention to detail and texture that you spot something new each time you look, the poppy seed heads that are lit are wonderful, one of my favourites is this one from page 25.
Tamsin Rosewell has illustrated the book and at the end there are interesting notes on British traditions by Pamela Rowe.
To summarise The Lightbringers is a charming addition to anyone’s collection and is perfect for any aged reader who loves folk tales and to enjoy the magic within a book’s pages.
There are many quotes from the book that I could end with however this sentence struck a cord with me at this moment in time,
“Most don’t notice the Lightbringers, but those who are quiet of heart, who walk the hedges and honour the Earth, might catch a glimpse.”
Something to aim for in these unsettling times.
The Lightbringers by Karin Celestine was reviewed for Books Up North by Ana Richards
Ana initially trained in textiles and worked in textile conservation, but preferring to engage with people rather than fabric she changed career into community-based roles in both private and public sector. Currently she is involved in a number of community groups as a volunteer publicity officer and also is a committee member of a couple.
Ana has been actively involved in her local book festival carrying out various roles and was thrilled to be a judge for its short story competition. She is a keen and enthusiastic reader of all genres and looks forward to getting immersed into a new and exciting world of each new book. Her interests include family and local history, art, food and a lot of reading of course!
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