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Friday, 10 May 2019

ReadItDaddy's Picture Book of the Week - Week Ending 10th May 2019: "Child of St Kilda" by Beth Waters (Child's Play)

Posted by ReadItDaddy at May 10, 2019 Labels: , , ,
Thank goodness children's books like this exist. At first "Child of St Kilda" by Beth Waters gave us cause for a double take when it first arrived. I assumed it was something published by Flying Eye NoBrow, simply because of the way it looked but finding out it was from one of our favourite go-to children's publishers - Child's Play - was quite a revelation, and proves that this innovative publisher still knows how to surprise and delight us in equal measure.

It goes without saying that once you dive beneath the covers, this isn't just your ordinary everyday children's picture book. This is rich, visual and utterly glorious storytelling steeped in history, and revolving around one of the most fascinating locations in the British Isles.

Perhaps it's just me, but I've always been attracted to the idea of living on a remote island - and in "Child of St Kilda" you'll meet a character who did just that.

Norman John Gillies was one of the last children ever born on St Kilda, five years before the whole population was evacuated forever to the British mainland, leaving behind a snapshot of a way of life that seemed completely incompatible with the modern world. 

Despite its remote windswept location, the islands of Soay, Boreray and Hirta (and the tiny island of Levenish) had been home to humans for over four thousand years, developing a thriving, tightly-knit society that knew nothing of crime or money, and took care of its weakest members without hesitation. 

At the mercy of the seasons and the elements, a unique lifestyle evolved, based around resilience, mutual trust and caring. 

What was it like to grow up in such harsh conditions? 

Why and how did this ancient way of life suddenly cease in 1930? 

Where did the islanders go, and what became of them? And what became of Norman John, child of St Kilda?

All these topics are visited in this absolutely glorious book, with illustrations so fantastic that you'll almost taste the salt air blasting off the pages, or feel the chill winds from the North Atlantic. Kids will absolutely revel in Norman's story, and will perhaps use this fabulous book as the beginning of a deeper and more fascinating delve into St Kilda's history, and its present day importance for many bird species who come back year after year to live and breed. 

Sum this book up in a sentence: Sumptuous, luxurious, essential and thoroughly absorbing stuff from Beth and Child's Play!

"Child of St Kilda" by Beth Waters is out now, published by Child's Play Publishing (kindly supplied for review).