Tuesday July 16th 2024
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Rachel Bowen
Storyteller and author, Tim Porteus, has published his third book ‘Midlothian Folk Tales for Children.’
Following on from his book “East Lothian Folk Tales for Children,’ Tim hopes that his book will help improve children’s emotional and physical wellbeing.
The book consists of 16 different Folk Tales each set in different locations across Midlothian and Edinburgh. Tim encourages carers to read the tales to their children, and then explore the location of which it was set in.
This is an attempt to encourage children and their carers to spend quality time together, exploring local outdoor areas. Tim hopes that children will retell, adapt or even re-make his original tales. This will help them grow their imagination and sense of adventure.
Being a father of 5 and having spent many years storytelling in local schools, Tim has seen first hand the benefits of storytelling to children’s emotional wellbeing.The stories focus on a range of themes and are written from a child’s perspective.
Tim’s metaphorical approach allows children to process their emotions by themselves or use certain characters to explain to adults how they feel.
Tim talked of a reader who had reached out to thank him for his tale ‘Selkie Sister‘ which is in the book ‘Midlothian Folktales for Children.’ The story is about a Selkie. A Selkie is a seal which can transform into a human. Tim uses a Selkie to convey the difficulties of children experiencing two different lifestyles when their parents have split up.
Furthermore, Tim has included children from around Midlothian by using their drawings throughout his book.
Tim has previously published ‘East Lothian Folk Tales for Children.’ It is of a similar nature; encouraging households to explore local locations and allowing children to process their emotions.
‘Midlothian Folk Tales for Children,’ can be bought in main bookshops and online.
If the book is bought through Tim, he will donate £1.50 to the Scottish Woodland Trust.
Contact him Here
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