The Lost Spells

The oldest and most powerful spells are written into nature. As humans become more removed from the natural world, this deep magic becomes lost. The Lost Spells is a lyrical reclamation of the magical language of flora and fauna. A beautifully illustrated collection of poems inspired by the mysterious wonders of the wild, this book completely stunned me with its elegance. Recommended By Ariel K., Powells.com

The calmness of nature poetry combined with beautiful watercolor artistry makes for a delightful combination. I find myself staring at the few sample copies provided, and yearning for more. I'm bookmarking this title as my go-to gift for all my fellow nature lovers. Recommended By Corie K-B., Powells.com

The follow-up to the internationally bestselling sensation The Lost Words, The Lost Spells is a beautiful collection of poems and illustrations that evokes the magic of the everyday natural world.

Since its publication in 2017, The Lost Words has enchanted readers with its poetry and illustrations of the natural world. Now, The Lost Spells, a book kindred in spirit and tone, continues to re-wild the lives of children and adults.

The Lost Spells evokes the wonder of everyday nature, conjuring up red foxes, birch trees, jackdaws, and more in poems and illustrations that flow between the pages and into readers' minds. Robert MacFarlane's spell-poems and Jackie Morris's watercolour illustrations are musical and magical: these are summoning spells, words of recollection, charms of protection.

To read The Lost Spells is to see anew the natural world within our grasp and to be reminded of what happens when we allow it to slip away.

"This union of natural history, poetry, art, and whimsy is, indeed, a truly enchanting all-ages book of life to contemplate, read aloud, and share." Booklist

Robert MacFarlane is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and the author of a number of bestselling and prize-winning books, including The Wild Places, The Old Ways, Holloway, Landmarks, and Underland, which won the Wainwright Prize. His work has been translated into many languages and widely adapted for film, television, and radio. The American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded him the E. M. Forster Award for Literature in 2017. He is a word-collector and mountain-climber — and he has three children who have taught him more about the world than any book.

Jackie Morris grew up in the Vale of Evesham and studied at Hereford College of Arts and at Bath Academy. She won the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, the highest honour in children's book illustration, for The Lost Words. She has illustrated for the New Statesman, the Independent, and the Guardian, collaborated with Ted Hughes, and has written and illustrated over forty books, including beloved classics such as The Snow Leopard, The Ice Bear, Song of the Golden Hare, Tell Me a Dragon, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, and The Wild Swans. Jackie Morris lives in a cottage on the cliffs of Pembrokeshire.