The Lost Spells

The Lost Spells is a collaboration between writer Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris that combines poetry with watercolor illustrations. This spiritual successor to their previous work The Lost Words presents a series of spells and paintings centered on creatures and natural elements. Each spell takes the form of a poem that conjures a specific plant, animal, or natural phenomenon - from red foxes to silver birch trees. Morris's illustrations accompany and enhance each spell with images of the subject in its natural setting. Like traditional spellbooks, the volume is designed to be spoken aloud and shared between readers. The text and artwork move through different seasons and settings, creating a complete cycle of nature-focused incantations. The book serves as both a celebration of the natural world and a reminder of humanity's deep connections to it. Through its merger of visual art and language, it speaks to ancient traditions of naming and knowing the living things that surround us.

Readers describe this book as a companion to nature that combines poetry and watercolor art to celebrate wildlife. Many note its smaller size compared to The Lost Words, making it more portable for outdoor reading. Readers liked: - The intimate, personal feel of the poems - Detailed watercolor illustrations of animals and plants - The accessibility for both children and adults - The focus on overlooked creatures like moths and beetles Main criticisms: - Some found the poems less impactful than The Lost Words - A few mentioned the smaller format makes artwork harder to appreciate - Price point feels high for the size Ratings: Goodreads: 4.6/5 (1,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (900+ ratings) Notable reader comment: "Each spell feels like a small meditation, perfect for starting or ending the day with a moment of connection to nature." - Goodreads reviewer Bookshop.org notes multiple reviews praising its use in outdoor education programs and family nature walks.

The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris A spellbook of poems and paintings celebrating nature words that are vanishing from children's vocabularies.

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald A memoir interweaves falconry, grief, and the life of T.H. White through observations of the natural world.

Oak Flat by Lauren Redniss Text and illustrations tell the story of an Apache tribe's connection to their sacred land through folklore and documentation.

Fox & I: An Uncommon Friendship by Catherine Raven A naturalist chronicles her relationship with a wild fox through scientific observation and literary references.

The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert Macfarlane A meditation on ancient paths combines natural history, cartography, and folklore while exploring landscapes on foot.

🌿 The Lost Spells is a companion volume to The Lost Words, both created to reconnect readers with nature through "spells" that celebrate often-overlooked creatures and plants 🎨 Artist Jackie Morris painted each illustration in The Lost Spells using Japanese and Chinese inks, creating ethereal artwork that brings the natural world to life 🌳 Author Robert Macfarlane wrote many of the book's poems while walking in nature, often composing them outdoors to capture the immediate essence of his subjects 📚 The book was inspired by the removal of nature words (like "acorn" and "kingfisher") from the Oxford Junior Dictionary, sparking a movement to preserve nature-based language 🎵 Several musicians have created musical adaptations of the spells, including Folk by the Oak, who composed an entire album based on the poems in the book