Mara of the Loch- Unlocking the imagination of early readers.

This Children’s Reading Week- we want to put a focus on our new Marginal Publishing release, Mara of the Loch and explore the ways it can bring joy to reading time.

Now more than ever- less, and less young people are picking up books and reading them for fun. With our schools being so underfunded and our teachers so overworked, it is no surprise that the time being taken in classrooms to capture students’ imaginations is limited. Reading does not have to just happen when we are examining grades or reading levels; reading should happen to harness the magic that lives within our children’s minds.

 One book that brings a world of magic and adventure to our young readers is Mara of the Loch by Hannah Maclennan. This beautifully illustrated children’s novel explores the magic of friendship and folklore between two unexpected characters.

 Every summer, Isla and her mum go to the Highlands to visit her grandparents. Isla usually knows what to expect from her holiday, but this time, she meets someone different…

 Mara of the Loch is not *just* an incredible adventure tale, it also introduces Scottish folklore to its readers with the backdrop of the beautiful Scottish Highlands. Folktales are so important to share with children as they celebrate vast diversity of thought, experience, and culture, in a way that feels engaging and enlightening. We are introduced to folklore through one of the main characters that you can see here.

 This character is met by the story’s protagonist, Isla. It would be silly to not introduce her to you too.

 The setting of these characters in the story is the beautiful Scottish Highlands. Children are often overlooked when it comes to exploring geographical spaces and the history they hold. We often see children only learning about countries and places through specific, limited geography lessons, rather than through the arts.

 Mara of the Loch shares real spaces in the Scottish Highlands as the inspiration for the scenes throughout the novel. You can see the references from the creator here!

While the Scottish Highlands set the scene, friendship is what takes the centre stage. The unexpected friendship between Isla the human and Mara the selkie takes the young readers on a journey of understanding each other’s differences, celebrating our own cultures, and not judging those who may be different to us.

 While you can see that the elements of enrichment that come from reading Mara of the Loch, there are many ways that you can enjoy the book outside of just reading alone! Why not email us for a free colouring sheet to use and print at home? Or why not design your own outfits for Isla and Mara? Maybe you could even draw the Scottish Highlands that you see throughout the book?

Mara of the Loch unlocks children’s imaginations, ideas around friendship and exploration of the natural world around them. If you would like to buy your own copy, you can do so here for just £7.99.