The Selkie Girl
Traditional Scottish tales Series
What’s inside...
A retelling of the Celtic legend of a seal maiden, who is captured and wed by a mortal young man. The author faithfully preserves the spirit and magic of the original story, while adding depth and inevitability that enhance the tale. Accompanied by watercolor illustrations, the book balances the everyday life on a small, sea-bound craft with intense drama, as reviewed by The Horn Book.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-10
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How do you think Fiona felt when she discovered the selkie's secret?
What would you do if you found a magical seal skin?
Why is it important to keep promises, like the fisherman did?
How do the sea and the shore characters differ in their behavior and attitudes?
What can we learn about nature and relationships from the selkie's story?
Tip: Role play these questions
Utilize pauses after each question to give your child time to think and articulate their thoughts.
Express genuine interest in their responses to encourage deeper thinking.
Relate the themes of the book to your child’s personal experiences to make the discussion more relatable.
Encourage your child to imagine alternative endings or scenarios to enhance creative thinking.
Discuss the illustrations and ask how they complement the story, deepening the child's understanding and appreciation of the book.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Embracing Identity
Explanation: In 'The Selkie Girl', the protagonist struggles with her dual identity as a human and a seal. This internal conflict helps her explore and eventually embrace all aspects of who she is.
Real-World Application: Children learn the importance of self-acceptance and understanding unique traits that make them who they are, fostering confidence in their own identities.
Example Lesson: Respect for Nature
Explanation: The story highlights the selkie’s connection to the natural world, particularly the sea, underscoring the need to respect and protect our environment.
Real-World Application: This lesson encourages children to cultivate a sense of responsibility towards nature and teaches them about the importance of environmental conservation.
Example Lesson: The Power of Choice
Explanation: Throughout the narrative, the selkie girl makes choices about where she truly belongs. These decisions emphasize the power and consequences of choices.
Real-World Application: This narrative can help children understand that their decisions have impacts and teach them to think carefully about the choices they make in their lives.
Example Lesson: Value of Freedom
Explanation: The selkie girl’s journey back to the sea represents a broader theme of freedom and the right to choose one's own path.
Real-World Application: Children are reminded of the importance of personal freedom and encouraged to respect others' rights to choose their own paths.
Example Lesson: Empathy and Understanding
Explanation: By depicting relationships between humans and selkies, the book fosters a message of empathy towards those who are different.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps children develop empathy and promotes an understanding and appreciation for diverse perspectives and experiences in their social interactions.