A pair of children happen across an ancient shrine, where they conjure up an impish sprite named Puck, who treats them to a series of tales about Old England. Rudyard Kipling, the storyteller behind Puck's fables, lived in the East Sussex region of Pook's Hill. To amuse his children, Kipling created these quasi-historical stories about the people who lived in their neighborhood centuries ago. Readers of all ages will treasure Puck's ten magical tales of adventure and intrigue. Kipling's imaginative blend of fact and fancy ...
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A pair of children happen across an ancient shrine, where they conjure up an impish sprite named Puck, who treats them to a series of tales about Old England. Rudyard Kipling, the storyteller behind Puck's fables, lived in the East Sussex region of Pook's Hill. To amuse his children, Kipling created these quasi-historical stories about the people who lived in their neighborhood centuries ago. Readers of all ages will treasure Puck's ten magical tales of adventure and intrigue. Kipling's imaginative blend of fact and fancy transports readers back to the days of William the Conqueror, to the camps of the Roman legions who guarded Hadrian's Wall against the Picts, and to the thirteenth-century court of King John. All of the stories abound in the freshness of invention and narrative vigor that have kept the author's books popular for generations. Each enchanting myth is followed by a selection of Kipling's spirited poetry. Includes vintage illustration!
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We are Kipling fans, dyed in the wool, but had never heard of this gem. Two children enact "Midsummer Night's Dream" twice in a row at the foot of "Pook's Hill," on their farm. This conjures "Pook," who is ... Puck, who "jests to Oberon!" From this inspired beginning ensues the summer's adventures for these two children, who in their playful rambles continue to encounter "Pook," or "Puck," the most enchanting (literally) companion ever encountered. In these summer adventures Puck introduces them to figures from English history whose stories, or rather histories, took place on what is now this very farm. The book is a delight, clever and endearing, unexpectedly moving, utterly wonderful.
margaret b
Aug 1, 2011
Specialized fairy story
It's not exactly exciting, but if you like historical events then it is quite interesting. I read it for the life of the Picts having been on Orkney and visited Skara Brae and Maeshowe.