The book is a collection of folklore from different cultures and countries about the earth (land, water, hills, caves, etc.) It has Ireland, England, Mayan, Nordic mythologies (and many more), fairy rings/ witch rings, flower faeries, Indigenous Tejas Legend of North Wind and Spanish Moss, moss/ grass for herbal healing, Greek dryads and tree bonding, Danish Huldre, Slavic baba Yaga, Cajun werewolf, the sound of a conch shell, red coral and Medusa, mermaids and merrows, ningyo (Japanese mer-monkey), mountains, dwarfs, trolls, volcanoes (Pele, Hawaiian goddess), mountain spirits, hills and valleys, megaliths,  Anie’s Hill Ireland, stone circles, dragons and caves, rivers, streams, lakes and their mythical creatures. 

The underlying themes across the indigenous folklore overlap almost throughout the book. Our ancestors used tales and mythical creatures to make people respect nature. They feared evil creatures and tried to be good to avoid being attacked or captured by the creatures that could harm them. 

The illustrations are expansive, vivid, and wonderful. Some of them are just too cute (though Hulders and mermaids could have been prettier and less scary). Kids will absolutely love the color scheme and illustrations. 

The myths and stories are provided in a single paragraph. The brevity helps retain more information. I wish the book had more Hindu (we have so many!) and Asian folklore. There are a few, but not enough when you look at the entire compilation. 

To summarize, Lore of the Land: Folklore Wisdom from the Wild Earth is a beautiful collection of folklore about the earth, nature, and everything she offers. It’s time we learned from the lore and respected nature. 

I received an ARC from Edelweiss+ and Quarto Publishing Group – Wide Eyed Editions and am voluntarily leaving a review.