Author/illustrator and paper doll creator Briana Corr Scott explores the world of selkies - the mythological seal folk of Scottish and other Northern Atlantic lore, said to be able to shed their skin and assume human form - in this lovely, poetic book. The rhyming text describes one selkie girl's home, both above and below the water, the seaside activities she enjoys when on land, the delicious food she prepares, and the longing that eventually takes her back to the wild sea. Included at the rear is a paper doll of the selkie, in both human and seal form, and clothing to be cut out and used with the human doll...

Scott is based in Dartmouth, Novia Scotia, and The Book of Selkie: A Paper Doll Book was released by Nimbus Publishing, a regional Canadian press based in Halifax, and specializing in titles relevant to the Atlantic Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. It's easy to see how this one fits the bill, given the Atlantic setting and seaside theme, beautifully captured in the artwork. As someone who loves selkie lore, I have been meaning to track it down since seeing it reviewed online by a friend, and I am glad that I finally have! The simple text is gentle and appealing, the artwork just gorgeous, and the paper dolls a lovely, interactive element. I appreciated the brief afterword, which gives more information about traditional selkie lore, but I also liked the fact that this is an original work of fantasy, rather than a retelling of a folktale. Readers interested in other original selkie stories might consider titles like Andrea Spalding's Seal Song, Jane Yolen's Greyling, or Chardi Christian's The Selkie and the Fisherman. Those seeking traditional tales might like to examine picture-books like Mordicai Gerstein's The Seal Mother, or collections such as Duncan Williamson's Tales of the Seal People: Scottish Folk Tales. For my own part, I will definitely be seeking out more of Briana Corr Scott's work, and I recommend this one to young selkie lovers, picture-book readers who enjoy tales of fantastic creatures, and paper doll lovers. ( )

‘’Οh, to be a selkie,
And live between two worlds
Half your days spent as a seal,
And the other half, a girl....’’

For me, the myth of the selkie embodies the unique character of the Northern Sea. The mentality and tradition and history of the countries that cherish their myths and customs like a beloved member of a marvellous family. Traditions that hover between the real and the supernatural, the serene green and the wild waves of the shores, the song of the sea and the wind, the rocks and the valleys. And somewhere, over the breeze and the sound of the waves, we might hear the selkie lullaby…

This beautiful book depicts an ‘’ordinary’’ year of the selkie from the transformation to a woman to her need to return to the sea. In pictures of unique beauty by Briana Corr Scott, her relationship with the animals, her knitting, the food she cooks, the songs she sings come alive. In Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, Iceland, Norway and the Faroe Islands, the selkie myth lives on and on...

‘’But every now and then she hears
A voice from deep inside
It calls her back onto the land
The human in her cries.’’

Many thanks to Nimbus Publishing Ltd. and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/ ( )