The Seven-Year-Old Wonder Book by Isabel Wyatt
New edition of renowned storyteller Isabel Wyatt's collection of magical tales for six and seven-year-olds
These magical tales take us through the highlights of the year, through festivals and birthdays. Perfect for six and seven year olds.
Description
Every night, before Sylvia goes to sleep, she whispers a magic spell to the rhyme-elves. In the morning her Wonder Book is filled with beautiful pictures and poems of her adventures and the extraordinary stories she has heard.
There is nothing Sylvia loves more than stories; so every day she asks her mother, the old woodsman and even her fairy friend Sister-in-the-Bushes to tell them to her. They weave magical stories of clever princesses, far-away kingdoms, courageous knights, kind children and graceful fairies.
During the day, Sylvia also has her own adventures: planting a fairy tree, meeting St Nicholas and venturing into the deep woods. But as she comes closer to her special seventh birthday, there is one extraordinary adventure left.
This enchanting collection of tales, charmingly told by Isabel Wyatt, takes us through the highlights of the year as Sylvia and her friends celebrate festivals and birthdays.
Table of Contents
- Sylvia and the Sick Toys
- The Story of the Wood-Maiden Who Couldn’t Dance
- The Poem of the Singing Sky
- Sister-in-the-Bushes
- The Story of the Star Twins
- The Poem of the Black Cloak and Hood
- The Making of the Fairy Tree
- The Poem of the Tree Makers
- The Dragon in the Sky
- The Story of Snowflake and the Dragon
- The Poem of Knight Michael
- Sylvia and the Old Woodsman
- The Story of the Lordly Cockerel
- The Poem of Wily, Lordly and Lowly
- Sylvia’s Turnip Lantern
- The Story of Hugin and the Turnip
- The Poem of Hallowe’en Lanterns
- Sylvia and the Wicked Little Imp
- The Story of the Country at the Bottom of the Well
- The Poem of the Silver Cherry and the Golden Pear
- Sylvia’s Advent Wreath
- The Story of Rufusi Ryneker
- The Poem of the Crown of Candles
- The Visit of St Nicholas
- The Story of Bella, Sophia and Little Bonita
- The Poem of the Golden Boy
- Sylvia’s Painting
- The Story of the Tree that Dreamt a Flower
- The Poem of the Christmas Tree
- Getting Ready for Christmas
- The Story of Cordita and the Three Little Men
- The Poem of Kind Cordita
- Christmas Day
- The Story of the Apple Tree that Bore a Star
- The Poem of Eva’s Apple
- Sylvia’s Birthday Poem
- Sylvia’s Birthday
- Sylvia and the Three Fairies
- The Poem of the Three Tooth-Gifts
- Sylvia and Elf Prince Frey
- The Poem of the Fairy Bread
- Sylvia and Peter
Reviews
'The Seven-Year-Old Wonder Book tells stories about Sylvia and her life and experience through her sixth year of life. Each section tells of Sylvia's day; then she is told a story, by her mum or a friend, that relates to her experiences. Finally, just before going to sleep, Sylvia leaves her Wonder Book on her bedside table and chants a poetry spell asking the rhyme-elves to write a poem for her during the night. Sylvia wakes up the following morning to a new poem and a beautiful drawing and she runs to her mother's bed to read it.
The stories relate to festivals throughout the year and, towards the end of the book, we are told about Sylvia's seventh birthday. The sense of wonder in the book is achieved through the way in which Sylvia's life stories intertwine with story-telling and with the rhyme-elves' creation of beautiful pictures and poems. A magical book for six and seven year olds.'
-- Juno: A Natural Approach to Family Life, Spring 2006
Author
Isabel Wyatt was born in England in 1901. She spent many years teaching young children and was then, until her retirement in 1965, co-director of studies at Hawkwood College in Gloucestershire. She wrote many books for children, including King Beetle-Tamer and The Book of Fairy Princes. She died in 1992.
