Whilst our mood has been uplifted with the snowdrops, bluebells and daffodils sprouting with the coming of spring, we can’t help but lean right into the season with our lovely March Book of the Month: Old Oak and the Wild Flowers. Beautifully written by Elena Mannion and brought to life and colour with Erin Brown’s illustrations, this is the third in the Old Oak series from Pikku Publishing. Old Oak and the Wild Flowers continues the gentle adventures of Old Oak and his wildlife friends, showing the interconnected eco system between animal and plant, and the importance of caring for nature.
During a long hot summer with no sign of rain for weeks, Old Oak notices the Barley Field has produced a weaker crop, the barley looking rather sad and thin. His spirits are lifted when children come to laugh and play amongst the barley, but with the poor, and now flattened crops, the farmer has no choice but to reap the whole field with ‘the big machine’, leaving it bare. With the Field missing its usual sounds of insects and birdsong, as many have left to find food elsewhere, Old Oak worries for his friends, as without ploughing the field becomes brown and lumpy.
However, when spring comes round again, the farmer sews new hope into the field by scattering hundreds of seeds with the help of his wife, and with the new growth of vibrant, multicoloured wildflowers, the birds, bees, butterflies and beetles return to give the Old Barley Field new life. Old Oak rejoices to see the return of all his friends, and children can once again play in his shade.
An incredibly touching and uplifting story of renewed life, Elena Mannion writes an engaging and accessible introduction to nature told from the point of view of her comforting and patient character Old Oak. As we experience hotter and drier summers as a result of the climate crisis, this book carries an important message whilst showing optimism about the possibility of the return of eco systems and our role in caring for nature. Perfectly complemented by Erin Brown’s gorgeous illustrations that seem to leap off the page in their charming characterisation of Old Oak and his friends, alongside the wonderful depiction of the wildflower fields that make you feel almost amongst them, this is the perfect book to start the season for all ages with a mindful and curious spirit.
“Will both delight and inform young readers”
— Julia Eccleshare MBE“A work of art”
— The School Reading List
Old Oak and the Wild Flowers is out now from Pikku Publishing
9781738485901 | PB | £8.99
Also available from Turnaround:
Old Oak and Little Acorn by Elena Mannion
Illustrated by Erin Brown
Pikku Publishing | 9781838365158 | HB | £12.99
Strong Old Oak is a haven for all creatures in his magnificent hedgerow. In his mast year, he has one little acorn that is very dear to him. When he is carried off by a squirrel, Little Acorn must survive the perils of hungry deer and curious walkers. A brave little sapling emerges in this tale of regeneration, growth and the cycle of life.
The Happy Hedgerow by Elena Mannion
Illustrated by Erin Brown
Pikku Publishing | 9781999639891 | HB | £10.99
An Old Oak stands amid his own beloved hedgerow on the edge of a field. When the farmer gets rid of his friend Beech’s hedgerow, the Old Oak watches sadly as it is destroyed. But hope is returned when a new farmer comes to plant fresh saplings. Engendering affection for our hedgerows, this unique tale is rich in abundant details of flora and fauna.
