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The Unicorn in the Castle
Published by Forth Books, £6.99

Scotland’s myths and legends are full of fabled and fantastic creatures. So much so that Scotland’s national animal is not one that you’ll find in the wild or in a zoo, on a farm or in your house. 

It’s a magical and mysterious creature that exists only in pictures and stories and in your own imagination. 

Amber and Alfie MacCaley are visiting their Uncle Angus who lives in an enormous Castle. Alfie loves to play knights and imagines that he might find a dragon. During the night, Amber hears some strange sounds coming from within the stone walls – grunting, scraping and jangling.

Alfie is convinced these noises must be coming from a dragon and, against the warning of Uncle Angus, he heads off to the deepest depths of the castle to look for it.

Amber follows and both children are amazed at what they find captive inside…

This new take on a legendary beast tells a story of how the unicorn, traditionally depicted in chains, came to be that way. Taking inspiration from the famous Unicorn in Captivity tapestries dating from the Middle Ages, the story brings an historic, mythical edge to the popular unicorn trend and will appeal to all children.

Richly illustrated throughout with original artwork by P.S. Brooks, in the story Rachel creates a fantastically atmospheric world where children could really discover castles, knights, dragons and indeed unicorns. She asks children to use their imagination and suspend belief for a short while as they enter a world of magic and mystery.

Ideally suited for confident readers aged 6 to 8, or as a sharing story for children from 5 up.

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Both of my previous titles are in print and available to buy from all good bookshops.

Ruan the Little Red Squirrel
Published by Forth Books, £5.99

Ruan is a little red squirrel who lives in the tall, tall trees in a beautiful forest park. He loves his home and plays all day with his friends.

When he spots some tents in a clearing, Ruan goes for a closer look – he’s not afraid of being a little bit naughty! But when the campers pack him up in their picnic basket, he’s in for a bigger adventure than he thought!

Pretty soon, Ruan realises he is lost as the campers take him all over Scotland. He meets lots of new friends who live in lots of different places, but will he ever find his way back home?

Aimed at ages 4 to 7, Ruan the Little Red Squirrel can either be read aloud to younger children or independently by more confident readers.

Ruan, an inquisitive wee red squirrel, is taken on an unexpected trip across Scotland by a pair of campers on their summer holiday. Throughout the story children are introduced to native Scottish animals and their natural habitats.

This story is perfect for Scottish topics in primary schools and for raising awareness of our endangered red squirrel populations. Any children who love animals and nature will enjoy this book with its vibrant illustrations and positive message about every animal finding their right home.

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The Kilted Coo
Published by Forth Books, £5.99

This is Drew. He’s a great big coo.
All he does each day is moo and chew.
It might seem funny to me and you,
But moo and chew is what coos do.

Farmer Martin’s not too happy with Drew and he isn’t sure quite what to do.
Visitors to his farm are not amused that their hats and scarves are being chewed.

He and his wife must find a way to stop Drew chomping away each day,
So read along to find out just how a kilt ends up on a Highland cow!

A fun-filled and engaging story about a mischievous Highland cow with an appetite for chewing things he shouldn’t! With bright illustrations and easy to read text, this is a farm-yard tale with a tartan twist that is sure to be a hit with younger children.

Ideally suited to read aloud, the rhymes will make story time a laugh-out-loud delight, while the quirky farmyard illustrations bring a Scottish farm full of lots of cheeky animals to life.

Key age range 3-6 years.