A huge book
This is not the kind of book I generally blog about. Although it is a children's book, it is not even fiction, let alone 'magic fiction'. Is is subtitled A Book of Spells, but it is not, I imagine, one that would be found in the Hogwarts library.
Nevertheless, The Lost Words just cannot, should not be ignored. It is a huge book in so many ways. It is hugely important, profound and hugely beautiful. In fact it is jaw-droppingly, soul-achingly beautiful. It is the work of two hugely talented people, who see, think and feel in hugely special ways. It is also just huge.
The book is, in fact, physically too big to be terribly practical. But practicality is emphatically not what it is about. Its presence, its impact, its genuine awesomeness would not be the same were it any smaller. Some things emphatically should not be contained and are cruelly diminished if we try.
Expectations exceeded
Recent years have seen the publication of many outstanding non-fiction books for the adult market featuring detailed, personal observations on the natural world. At the very forefront of this trend has been Robert Macfarlane. His books* are revelatory in terms of seeing the world around us afresh and he is arguably one of our finest contemporary writers, in any genre.
Artist Jackie Morris is the creator of some of the twenty first century's most iconic and stunning picture books**,and her large, close-up images of animals linger long in the mind. Her skill is outshone only by her sensitivity and compassion.
So when it became clear that these two were to collaborate for the first time on a children's book, my expectations were high. But not high enough it seems. The combination of his writing and her art has turned out to be a splendid addition to the canon of great children's books. I will be most surprised if it does not prove a seminal publication.
Spells and poems
The book's prefacing words say that Robert Macfarlane's contributions are 'not poems but spells'. The import of this is clear. The author intends these 'spells' to conjure for children the names of some of the indigenous plants and animals which they have lost, or are in danger of losing. I don't actually think this loss applies to all our children. Amongst today's young people are to be found some of our most passionate conservationists and our greatest hopes for the future. However it does apply to many, for whom their lifestyle, the games they play, the technology they (over)use, the books they read (or, tragically, don't read), separate them from any closeness to nature and the ever-changing pattern of seasons. Even more children, I fear have lost any sense of awe and wonder for the natural world and it is in restoring this that these spells will be most effective. They are very potent indeed.
However, despite protestations to the contrary, and even though they may not be verse as such, these pieces are poems as well as spells. Indeed they are poetry in the best sense and of the highest calibre. They use patterns of the richest and most intense language to evoke awareness of profoundly important thoughts and feelings. They illuminate life. In fact, not, I think, since Ted Hughes has there been a collection of such fine and important nature poems for children. And these have the advantage of being rather more accessible to young people, without any less measure of deep awareness, sensitivity, resonance or sonority. These spell-poems beg to be read aloud to children and by children, to be sounded and savoured, to be word-sung. They are to be learned and learned from, to be grown with and grow by.
In them readers will be enchanted by, amongst many others, the 'bickering, snickering' magpie; the conker that cannot be crafted, commanded, or engineered, but made only by a tree; the ancient fern 'furled, unfolding and fanning'. They are spells of beauty to which as many children as possible need to fall victim.
Spreading art
However, the words, wonderful as they are, are only a part of this book. Jackie Morris's art spreads through it in lavish fecundity, complementing, extending, enriching the spells. In fact 'spreads' is a very appropriate description for each subject, each individual plant or creature, is allowed three enormous double-page spreads.
The first of each trio of pages instigates the spelling by conjuring the name from letters strewn across subtle traceries. Each is a hint, a foretaste of what is to come: a stand of delicate grass heads, a stave of telegraph wires, the embryo outline of a weasel, the meandering ghost of a stream. Even here the variety of imagination and subtly of artistry is outstanding - and enormously evocative.
On each second double spread, the left-hand spell is offset by a right-hand page where a detailed image of the plant or animal itself is highlighted against a ground of applied gold leaf. Each picture is a ravishing illumination of the words. There are distant echoes of medieval manuscript in the pairing, and the impact is stunning.
The final spread of each trio presents a vast canvas with more naturalistic context. These breathtaking pictures gain added impact from their scale and come a long way towards bridging the gap between seeing a reproduction and looking at an original work of art. Each one a combination of watercolour detail and wash, their beauty needs to be seen not described. Here, amongst other marvels, are an owl-flown woodland, its bluebell carpet evoked only by its distinctive hue; a mesmerising murmuration of starlings; a heron surveying it watery domain from the hide of an evocative old willow. Please do not let children miss out on this wonderful gallery of nature art, to be found between the covers of a book.
A gift for teachers
As a former teacher, I would have given my eye teeth to have this book in my classroom (probably to use around Y5 or Y6). Just reading and knowing its spell-poems would model so much about language use: how effective alliteration can really be, when it is not gratuitously forced; how potent is truly apt vocabulary choice; how strong acrostics can be when used for real communication rather than as an imposed exercise; how real poetry for children can be so much more than the rhythmic rhyme to which 'children's poetry' is too often confined. The book's art work could teach so much about reading pictures, both in terms of closely observing detail and of responding to overall impact.
Many schools do an excellent job of inspiring children with a passionate commitment to important global conservation issues. However exploring the nature on our doorstep, once the staple of Primary education, seems to have declined somewhat. This book could help considerably in a vital rebalancing.
A gift for children
Apparently this book has been described in some social media posts as 'too beautiful for children'. This is nonsense as well as being horrendously patronising. Children often respond to beauty more fully and directly than many adults. They are perfectly capable of valuing and treasuring beautiful things. They need some beautiful things in their lives They need things that they can value and keep long and carefully.
This book has a recommended retail price of £20.00, which some may consider expensive for a children's picture book. My response would be that there are precious few real treasures to be had for such a sum, apart, of course, for that completely free treasure, the wonderous world around us. This book will cast its spell over children in such a way as to open minds, ears and eyes to that wonder. I can think of few better presents to give to a child or grandchild.
This book may send children off to look out for the plants and animals it represents. But it will do more than that. To see a kingfisher is undoubtedly a glorious thing. But perhaps that kingfisher does not actually need to be seen. Just to know that it is there makes the world a more wonderous place. To be able to name it, to know it as 'halcyon', to see its 'flame-flicker' in the minds eye - and to know that it is truly there somewhere in the world. Our world. That knowledge is the real gift of 'lost' things that Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris give.
Notes:
*Mountains of the Mind, The Wild Places, The Old Ways, Holloway, and Landmarks as well as a delightful essay, The Gifts of Reading.
** Including, Something About a Bear; The Snow Leopard; The Ice Bear; One Cheetah, One Cherry; The White Fox and The Seal Children (N.B. There are stunning new large-format editions of The Snow Leopard and The Ice Bear, recently out from GRAFFEG, which would also make superb treasures for children. There are signed copies around too, but look for them in independent, 'real' bookshops. )
