With the first hints of autumnal weather, a magical time comes upon us: it is the season of gift books and other beautiful editions (part of Jólabókaflóðið, as Icelanders would call it), ready for shoppers who seek Christmas gifts. You will be hard pushed this year to find a more beautiful specimen than I Am the Seed that Grew the Tree (Nosy Crow), an anthology of poems selected by Fiona Waters and illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon, published in association with the National Trust. Comprising of just over 33o pages of poetry, this hefty hardback is clothbound, has a ribbon marker and is illustrated throughout with full-spread illustrations (a huge undertaking for a single illustrator) which together really do make it a rather sumptuous gift. The texts have been chosen to create a collection which is a timeless ode to nature, with an amazing selection of poets, classic and contemporary: Thomas Hardy, Ted Hughes, Carol Ann Duffy, E.E. Cummings, John Updike to name a few. The selection is varied, and there is something for every one. Flicking through the pages thanks to Frann Preston-Gannon’s organic palettes and gentle style, readers find themselves taking a stroll through the seasons, inhaling the smells of spring, feeling the breeze that gently sways the wheat, or feeling the chill of the early morning fog:
A really superb tome which will be treasured by both adults and children and will be a wonderful addition to any developing home library.
I am delighted Frann Preston-Gannon is giving us a little insight into how she creates her illustrations with those two short videos:
Thank you so much, Frann!
I Am the Seed that Grew the Tree is out now and can be purchased here.
Don’t forget to catch up with the rest of the blog tour:
