The Book of Selkie

The beautiful story of a selkie, part girl and part seal, but all magical. This was such a beautifully illustrated story about a selkie. The artwork was gorgeous and so detailed. The story just details the life of a selkie along with the legend! A great magical book for kids that will definitely add a little magic to their day. I really enjoyed this book and think any kid would!

This was a beautifully written and illustrated book. I liked the rhythm of the story, and the bright, hopeful ending.

LOVE this gorgeous book for children! Even comes with a paper doll, clothes and a seal. It’s a story I would have adored as a kid and am entranced by now.

The exquisite hues and details of the illustrations (actually acrylic paintings). The poetic tale of Selkie, half seal/half girl, and her adventures on land and in the sea. She’s a legend whose lore has been shared for centuries by folks living near the North Atlantic.

Destined to become a favorite book for young children and adults young at heart!

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 15 Jun 2020

Thanks to the author, Nimbus Publishing, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#TheBookofSelkie #NetGalley

I didn't really know what to expect from this when I clicked 'download' on it, but it certainly has to go down as a quite charming success. Selkies, or seal-people, are the North Sea's variant on the mermaid, being a creature that can slip into a seal costume and be a seal, or come on shore and act pretty much as a human can. This book demonstrates episodes in the existence of one such young woman, so we see around her home, with its washing line and its subterranean, beaver's lodge-like entrance, we see her eating alongside some seal friends, and we see her fantastical life, including making sweaters she's knitted out of fog. Er, yes. So while I'm not convinced by this, I put it on record that this is a really attractive book, with the watercolour art making the selkie and her landscapes gorgeous and then some, and the text in its simple ABAB rhyming verses is also a hit. It's not a "story", even if the non-fiction coda says it is, as it's too episodic and narrative-free, and it is a little short and perhaps inconsequential, but it is definitely an eye-catching product. We're supposed to be smitten by selkies, kelpies and merfolk – well I was by this book about just one of them, so it's most certainly plausible. Four and a half stars.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I love mythological creatures, but rarely find stories about selkies. This was a little gem that included a beautifully illustrated story of a selkie, as well as the traditional legend of the selkie.

What a fun book! I love that it’s written in verse, and has the legend in the back with a map! The illustrations are beautiful too! I want to get this for my niece as a gift.

'The Book of Selkie' is a beautiful and magical book about a seal-girl (selkie). The illustrations are gorgeous and text is written in poem describing the life of the legendary selkie. This book would be perfect for children ages 4-6 that are interested in magical things!

Thank you NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for providing this ARC.

A common story from the people of the countries that border the North Sea from Iceland to Norway, Ireland and the British Isles.
These various tales are brought together by the author here, in this simple story that captures the essence of the Selkie.
Beautifully illustrated and with four line text segments the book is a delight to read and share with a young child.

I loved the presentation and the green palette given to the illustrations and the flowing drawing reminiscent of the world Selkie exist between land and sea.

It is also good that the strength of folk lore is placed out there to show the range of the story and the magic these myths create.

In a world of bad news and conflicting motivations it is good to embrace a simple reality born out of humans close relationship with the sea. The joy of the mystery of rescued sailors and the possibility of mermaids and the Selkie is an enduring quality of our rich tradition of oral storytelling.

Oh to be a Selkie..

This book is a beautiful children’s rendition of ancient tales and folklore. I immediately found myself entranced with the artwork. Brianna Corr Scott shows us through images and poetry the enchanting double lives lived by the Selkies, both in human and seal form. I read this to my 8 year old daughter, who immediately asked me if we could go to the place in the pictures, and then asked if she could one day be a Selkie herself.

I think my favorite part, as a mom who loves to incorporate folklore and mythology into our daily reading routine, was The Legend of the Selkie at the end of the book that shows the history of the story. It added so much interest for me, as an adult, and my daughter.

I would easily buy this book for my bookshelf, not only too have the beautiful artwork, but for the legend behind the story.

Kid approved. Mom approved.

Great rhythmic story about a "Selkie" a mythological creature that is half human and half seal of Celtic origins, Beautifully illustrated and captures the imaginations of readers and leaves them pondering, have I seen a selkie? With it rooted in mythology, a great suggestion for the readers who love mermaids. I would incorporate this as a read aloud to my young students when talking about marine animals and discovering the cultures of coastal regions.

This is a very lovely poem with beautiful illustrations. I find it cute and actually thought that it is something tragic but it doesn't disappoint. I like it. A must read for readers of all ages.

A lovely children's book with pretty artwork. The cadence of the poems is well done and pleasant to read. I enjoy that the Legend of the Selkie is included at the end of the book for a wonderful bit of background.

The Book of Selkie is a delightful book that I will be getting a hardback version of to share with my children and keep as part of an ever growing collection of books that champion the lore of the Isles.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The illustrations in this book were gorgeous. And I haven't seen a paper doll book in ages. The short poems add to the content in addition to the lovely history lesson at the end. I greatly enjoyed this story!

Finished reading this lovely book I few minutes. I loved the verse format and the little backstory. It talks about the Selkie and her way of life. A short and sweet story. I loved the illustrations too!

A feast for children who love all the magical beings that live underwater! The seal-girl or Selkie is a seal and also a girl. The story tells us where she lives as a seal and what she does when she turns into a girl on the land. I feel the story maybe difficult for kids to understand and would require parents to explain. The illustrations are beautiful and eye-pleasing.

I first learned of selkie's recently in a novel by Regina McBride that I adored. I loved this children's work that describes the old lore; without any of the darker aspects to the legend that might be scary for young eyes. The illustrations here are lovely and whimsical.

Beautifully written and illustrated book, lovely message for children as well! any child who enjoys magical things will enjoy this, thank you netgalley for this copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly I knew I’d like this one from the start. The illustrations (even on the cover) are gorgeous. The text is lyrical and flows beautifully. This whole book was stunning. I also enjoyed the extra pages of history at the end. This is a great picture book, but I’d absolutely love to see it adapted as a middle grade novel.

I have more to say, but I'm not sure how to articulate it right now so perhaps I'll come back to this review later.

My thanks to Nimbus Publishing for a temporary digital edition of ‘The Book of Selkie’ written and illustrated by Briana Corr Scott in exchange for an honest review. It is listed for publication in the U.K. in mid October.

“Oh to be a Selkie, 
And live between two worlds 
Half your days spent as a seal, 
And the other half, a girl...”

This is a delightful children’s book about the life of a Selkie told in simple lyrical verse followed by an account of the original Selkie legend. It is intended for readers 3-7 years old.

This is a Paper Doll Book and comes with a paper doll, clothes, and a seal. This sounds delightful and I can imagine having the doll and seal paper dolls will provide opportunities for play alongside listening to this enchanting tale.

Briana Corr Scott’s art is beautiful with a delicate use of colours, focusing on muted greys and greens.

I know that I would have adored this as a child as I loved tales of sea lore and mermaids.

Overall, a stunning book sure to delight young readers.

A beautiful picture book about the myth of the Selkie or seal folk. The illustrations are beautiful to look at and I think children will love to learn about this myth since I did as well.

Selkies are one of those mythological beasties that permeate Scottish folklore but I haven't seen them appear in a kid's book before so The Book of Selkie is a treat.
The book isn't a story so much as a series of little passages that tell the reader all about being a Selkie in a rhyming and lyrical way accompanied by beautiful illustrations.
The book would be a perfect bedtime read for any young child but especially for those who have an affinity for the sea or love for make-believe.

I want to thank NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for giving me free access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would give the artwork 5 stars. I thought it was very beautiful. Whimsical yet still feeling like it's drawing real life things. While the font used for the title of each poem felt like it fit the feel of the artwork, the font used for the body of the poems reminds me of when children first learn to add text to an image on a computer. Of course, really fancy fonts are not ideal for children's books, but I can't help but wonder if there's a font that is both easy for young children to read that also fits the art style a bit better.

Most of the poems have a rhythm and rhyme that would make them ideal for reading aloud to a child. But a few lines feel like they didn't quite flow. In addition, it would have been nice if some of the poems were a little longer. I think with the illustrations and the interesting details about selkie, children's attention would be help well enough for a few more stanzas.

This book is a beautifully illustrated story of a selkie girl and the adventures she has both on land and in the sea. The author has also included the history of the selkie legend in the back. As someone whose family has had the selkie tales as part of their story history, it's nice to have a version of the story that isn't tragic. This is definitely a book that will be passed around our family.

Beautifully drawn and written; Brianna Corr Scott's "The Book of Selkie" is an enchanting, engrossing and unique reading experience.

A beautifully illustrated children's book. A great introduction to the Selkie myth without the negative aspects so common in the myth. You don't need to be a child to enjoy this one.

The Book of Selkie by Canadian author Briana Corr Scott is an absolutely gorgeous poetry picture book explaining the mystical creature of the sea – the Selkie. With rich, earthy colours and water that shimmers like gems, the illustrations draw readers in with a magical charm. A spell is cast as we enter the world of this part-seal, part-girl from North Atlantic folklore.

Through poetic rhyme, the details of a Selkie’s day are painted across the pages. Her home, routine, food and magic are shared in the hopes that the reader might one day be lucky enough to spot a Selkie for themselves. The links between a Selkie’s beauty and the natural world are enchanting ~ a voice deep inside calls her back to the land, she gathers up the salt fog, she sings as she roams the dunes…yearning to return to the sea.

The quiet, generous, happy life of the Selkie inspires readers to live closer to the land and appreciate the beauty around us. Perhaps one day, we might come close to a Selkie and feel the magic for ourselves.
There is an extra treat in this book with a paper doll, clothing and seal to play with. Readers will lose themselves in the legend of the Selkie.

Visit Briana Corr Scott’s website for more information.

Thank you to Nimbus Publishing and NetGalley for this beautiful book!

This was such a beautiful book!
Both the prose and the illustrations were captivating and I loved the piece in the end with the facts about the selkie. I definitely learned something to new today and will be on the lookout for books with selkies from now on.
Thank you Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A series of poems about a selkie, a girl who spends half her time as a seal. There is also a section about the legend of the selkie. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is intriguing.

This is a beautiful illustrated story book. The colours are so enticing and really transport you to a village beside the sea and under the sea. The story is wonderful and perfect for children of all ages. It is also great that there is an explanation of the legend of the Selkie at the end of the book which might encourage those more voracious readers to go in search of more about the legendary Selkie.

I received an advanced review copy from the publisher through NetGalley, and here are my thoughts:

First of all, my daughter was crazy about the animated movie, 'Song of the Sea', which is about a boy and his mute younger sister, a selkie. I was curious to read this book and learn more about selkies.

For me, the main strength of this book is the lyrical, whimsical text. Although the artwork works well to illustrate the content of the text, it doesn't evoke the same kind of playfulness as the words.

If you have a young child fascinated by selkies, this would be a charming book to read together.

This is beautifully illustrated, lyrical book explores the mythical world of a selkie. I haven't seen a paper doll book for years, so it was wonderful to see this concept being used again. I remember having a couple of paper doll books as a child and being totally engrossed playing with them.

Stories about the selkie have been told for hundreds of years by those who live near the North Atlantic and North Sea. Sometimes called "seal folk," the selkie, as humans, are tall and strong with dark hair and eyes. Extremely private, they keep their seal coats hidden away until they get restless and are called to the sea, and take on their seal forms.

I was not familiar with the legend of the selkie prior to reading this book, however there is a double page spread near the end of the book explaining a little background to the forklore. Children are enchanted by mermaids and I am sure they would find the selkie equally as captivating.

The Selkie legend is explored in a series of short rhyming poems which when reading the book from start to finish, flow beautifully together revealling what Selkie likes to eat, where she lives, how she spends her time on land and in the sea. Each can be also be enjoyed as a stand alone poem.

This is not a typical rhyming book aimed at younger children as the vocabulary is pitched for older children. My 7 year old son was able to confidently read the book aloud to me, although I feel possibly Lower Key Stage 2 pupils onwards would fully appreciate the meaning. However, both my son and my daughter (5 years old) were drawn to the beautiful illustrations - particularly the one depicting the selkie's little thatched house and washing line with it's underground cave entrance.

The acrylic illustrations in the book are simply exquisite. Hues of emerald and aqua contrast wonderfully with the selkie's striking auburn hair and the delicate lace of the selkie's dress.

The Book of Selkie would be a magical way of teaching a traditional legend and sharing some of the heritage of the British Isles.

To further explore the world of Selkies, visit https://brianacorrscott.com/selkie

Thank you to NetGalley and Nimbus publishing for providing me with a digital ARC copy in exchange for my review.

The Book of Selkie // by Briana Corr Scott

"Oh to be a Selkie, // And live between two worlds // Half your days spent as a seal, // And the other half, a girl..."

Oh what an adorable book! Scott beautifully wrote a story about what a Selkie is and how they like to spend their days. I love how her rhymes move along quickly without giving it a rushed feeling. They roll right off the tongue. Every page has stunning illustrations that accompany the words so well. The only complaint I have about this book is that it is too short. I wish it would go on forever!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Book of Selkie was an absolutely stunning book. I wish that it was a tactile book where I could touch the velvet of the selkie skin, the soft yarn, the paint on the page. The blurb of the book mentions that it is ideal for children's play time or bed time and at first I was skeptical but there are many mentions of activities, and then such languid language about the seaside. I was captivated throughout the entire book!

This book is a folklore tale about a fictional creature called a Selkie found around Scotland and Ireland. It's a beautifully illustrated children's book following the transformation of a Selkie that transforms from a seal to a woman, living half it's life in the sea and the other on land.

"Selkie Returns.
A yearning returns
Her nose gets an itch
She longs for her fins
Her toes start to twitch."

Its pictures are very well done. The mix and contrast between the cool blue and greens of the seal and the warm reds and oranges for the woman/faerie are gorgeous. I can't stop marvelling at its beauty.

It reads beautifully too. It has short parts about the different things a Selkie does and reads like poetry. I imagine people of all ages will love this short tale of the Selkie for its poetic explanations and gorgeous artistry. I can defiantly recommend to all ages and think any adult reading this to their children will love it as much as any child.

I haven't come across many books about selkies, especially for this age group. (The only other one I can remember reading is Franny Billingsley's wonderful novel The Folk Keeper.) The Book of Selkie is a lovely little book of poems about a selkie girl's life.

The lyrical poetry is accompanied by beautiful acrylic paintings that show the selkie girl shedding her seal skin and going about her day as a human. Of course, the sea always calls her back, and she eventually returns to the waves, but not before having a lovely meal and knitting herself a sweater out of hand-spun fog.

If you enjoyed the film The Secret of Roan Inish, then you will probably find this picture book a treat. It introduces the mythology of selkies in an easy-to-understand way. The poems do a good enough job on their own, but there are also a couple of pages at the back that offer more insight into this legendary creature.

I LOVE The Book of Selkie. Do I have kids? Yes. Did they enjoy this book, yes. Though, I’m pretty sure I loved it more. The rhymes are perfect, the illustrations are stunning and the folklore, amazing!

*Thank you #NetGalley and Nimbus Publishing for a copy of this story. On my way to preorder it now!

**NetGalley provided an ARC for an honest review**

A quick, illustrated poetry book about the legend of the selkie, this children's story was pretty and relaxing. I've been fascinated by the selkie legend ever since I watched the Song of the Sea movie from Gkids. This was a fun read. *3.5 stars*

The Book of Selkie is a children’s picturebook that introduces a selkie to children. Selfies are faerie people who live part of their lives as a seal. The selkies are seals that can shed their coat on land and transform into humans. They live part of their life on land. In simple text, this book explains the yearning of a selkie to be on land and also return to the sea. This book talks about a typical ‘selkie’ day, their diet, and how they keep themselves busy on land.⠀
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With soothing illustrations, this book is appropriate to teach young children about Scottish and Irish legends of the selkie.⠀

I thought that this was a really lovely story.

It was a lovely illustrated poetry book about the legend of the selkie.

It was easy to read and easy to follow too and it had a lovely natural flow.

It is a great way to introduce the legend of the Selkie to children.

It is 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended!

Before this book existed, I had spent my 19 years knowing nothing at all about the existence of a fable of selkie. Categorized under Children’s books, The Book of Selkie by Briana Con Scott is suitable to be fawned by children and I think adults also can enjoy this fable. The book itself has 24 illustrated pages which are mostly accompanied with simple use of English language in navigating through an anecdote about a selkie’s life. The illustrations are so intricately beautiful, looking so opaque. Undeniably to say it makes the story more interesting, the perfect trap to snag children’s attention.

This story follows a girl who lives in two different worlds, half-day she has spent as a human, and the other half she turns into a seal. At first, it depicts a journey of the girl who’s been living as a seal and her desire to become a human call for her. The flow of the storyline is so soothing and at the end, the yearning to become a seal again returns, the girl is long gone. But I highly recommend reading this along with the illustrations, so mesmerizing.

This is a simply stunning book and I have already ordered the hardback copy for keeps. It is the story of the Selkie, a mythical creature, as told through poetry, and how she spends her days. The illustrations are simply stunning and this little gem of a book is one I cannot wait to share with my own children and the children in my class. Beautiful and stunning.

I absolutely love selkies, so I was very excited to receive this book! The Book of Selkie is a beautiful and charming story. For children or parents who love learning about mythical creatures, this is the perfect introduction to selkies. The Book of Selkie explores what selkies eat, where they live, and what they do all day! The prose is lyrical and descriptive. The illustrations are stunning, clearly done with immense care. The use of light and cool tones creates the sense of being underwater, immersed in an ocean where selkies roam. I would highly recommend this book for anyone, regardless of age. The Book of Selkie is available now! Thank you to Briana Corr Scott, Nimbus Publishing, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is amazing! One of my favorite quotes was that:

"As a SEAL, she roams the sea
And rarely wanders home" (Page 6)

Probable because i remembered the time that we could out of our houses with safe, and now that we are in quarantine we cant out without fear to goig to be sick, this book makes me think about it, and did me happy for this. Even with your simply, i thought in that, and this makes that book being especial and different.
The way that Scott chosed to talk about mistific things was soo sweet, the arts and the design make the magic words of her became real. I feel inside me thee power of this book.
The arts of all the book is perfect, and i think that should be more perfect if have more texts, but it's a childish book, whatever, i really enjoyed it anyway.


(Do you wanna see more of my reviews? Go to my blog: www.leitoraperspicazbr.blogspot.com)

With enjoyed, Julia

This book is lovely! The art is beautiful and the poem is beautiful. Readers that enjoy learning about mythological creatures will find this book appealing.

The Book of Selkie is simply magical.
The artwork is enchanting and the story feels real and true. The reader is instantly transported into the oceanic world, as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
Selkie is a delight to get to know, and there are unique and quirky additions to the original myth. I loved the idea of "spinning fog" and cooking Selkie dishes.
It's a beautiful book for all ages, one that you will want to read over and over again.
Briana Corr Scott's art is phenomenal. I have paged through so many times, just to stare at the images. Remarkable.

I found the illustrations to this book really beautiful. There is a bit of story to this with a bit of history at the end of it. It follows on little selkie girl. Nice book to read.

This book is so beautiful. Children will adore it. It’s a great poetry book covering Selkies which are not seen in many children’s literature. A great book!

Briana Corr Scott never disappoints. The illustrations and text in this book just flowed over this reader. I loved every page of this book. I could look at her illustrations over and over again and see something new each time. Exquisite.

Thank you so much to net galley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. Briana Corr Scott never fails to disappoint. The cover is just as gorgeous as the insides!