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A collection of mysterious and fascinating stories about Trees, told in a unique and original way by storyteller Clare Viner. The stories Clare tells are never written down, so they are never fixed. Each telling is new and spontaneous – like Chinese whispers the stories change a little each time they are told. Things get forgotten and new bits added in; this is the real magic of storytelling, like the breath that tells the tales, the stories themselves are alive, they cannot be pinned like butterflies. So the tales you hear sparkle with spontaneity – like life they are exquisite and unpolished. Listen to them once or twice then recreate them yourself. Let the story change and come alive again, on the pulse of your breath.

Bethuska and the Silver Birch Tree
Based on a Czech folk tale, this is the story of a little girl called Bethuska. All her life Bethuska has been desperately poor but one day, while she is up in the silver birch tree grove, she meets a mysterious fairy woman who will change her life forever…

The Apple Maiden
This is a Celtic legend from Ireland. It is often told as a great tragedy but the angle has been changed a little, to suggest that the kings son may have been happy with his fate…
Next time you eat an apple cut it in half horizontally – this will reveal a star shape inside the apple, an ancient symbol of the fairy-folk.

The Elder Tree
This is a story created by Clare, using traditional folklore and herbal knowledge.
There is a tall, silver woman who lives in the Elder tree. She is a wise woman and can heal many troubles – but be sure to ask her permission before cutting her wood, or, like the family in this story, she might just pay you a visit…

Say bye-bye to boredom!

School’s out – a time that many parents dread. How is it possible to keep kids from staring at screens or complaining there is nothing to do all day? This survival guide is here to help. It’s packed with brilliant and inexpensive activities to engage young minds and create awesome memories. From outdoor pursuits to indoor amusements, solo crafting to group games, there’s inspiration in these pages to get you through the lockdown.

In this irreverent traveller’s tale, two twenty twenty-something trouble magnets wreak havoc across South-east Asia as they struggle to escape the beaten path. From a bizarre encounter with a Xena-obsessed hotel clerk in Thailand to a stoned flight on a crumbling Russian plane in Laos, Tamara Sheward takes a wayward journey through the underbelly of South-east Asia so often ignored by traditional travel writers. Peppered with swindlers, drunkards and uber-hippies, Bad Karma puts backpacker culture through the wringer.

Designed to boost your confidence with the opposite sex, this book contains tips and advice to help chat-up women.

It’s time to experience the joys of simple living

Whether you want to make small changes to your life or you’re looking to transform it, The Art of Simple Living will show you the way to a more wholesome existence. With help on how to declutter your home, practise mindfulness and make your mealtimes, free time and relationships more fulfilling, the advice and tips in this book will guide you towards a simpler life filled with joy, laughter and love.

‘We-have-a-house-in-the-country?’
Lena nodded solemnly. 
‘Where?’ I almost shouted, briefly rattling the table. ‘No, wait, don’t tell me – it’s Todi in Umbria, right? The old manor house, the one with the lemon groves!’
‘Alt-Globnitz.’
‘Alt-Globnitz?’ Suddenly I felt cold.
‘Alt-Globnitz. It’s a really nice place. You will love it.’
In a desperate attempt to save his relationship with girlfriend Lena and take a break from the world of journalism, Germany correspondent Roger Boyes agrees to make a great escape from the easy urban lifestyle of Berlin and decamp to the countryside. Roger has hopes for southern Italy, but Lena has inherited a run-down old schloss in deepest, darkest Brandenburg.
Needing a form of income, they decide to set up a B & B with a British theme. Enter unhelpful Harry and his Trinidadian chef cousin, a mad Scot to advise them on re-branding Brandenburg, some suicidal frogs and a posse of mad tourists. It all culminates, naturally, in a cricket match between the Brits and the Germans on an old Russian minefield. Farce meets romance in this follow-up to the successful A Year in the Scheisse.

It’s time to make your home a wellness zone!

Your home environment should lift you up and bring you joy. But the you live and work in one place, you’re all the more aware of how surroundings can affect your well-being.

No Place Like Home offers simple and effective ways to transform your home environment to be more mindfully aligned with who you are. It’s packed with ideas for upcycling and decluttering, as well as comforting recipes, soothing relaxation rituals and innovative ways to bring the outside in. This restorative book will help you rediscover the delights of your four walls as a space for calm, productivity, happiness and personal growth.

You don’t need a garden to grow your own food! This book is the perfect beginner’s guide to micro-gardening, featuring tips on how to start, what to choose and how to grow over 20 types of plant for your kitchen.

Have you ever been curious about growing your own food? Do you lack a garden? Have you got limited space in your home? Then this book is for you!

Whether you want to produce fresh herbs for your cooking, save money on your food bill, reduce your carbon footprint or enjoy the simple pleasure of watching something grow, My Tiny Kitchen Garden is bursting with tips and ideas to help you get started, including:

– The basics of micro-gardening
– Troubleshooting tips
– Plant profiles to help you choose what to grow
– Craft ideas to help you style your plants
– Advice on growing food from scraps
– How to save and store seeds
Whether you’re a budding gardener or a seasoned expert looking for seeds of inspiration, dive into this book to hone your green fingers and cultivate your very own tiny kitchen garden.

The world is yours to explore

The great outdoors is the beating heart of our world, but modern life is pulling us ever further away from it. Spending our time shut away indoors and hunched over screens, we’ve lost touch with nature, and it’s harming our health and our happiness. But it’s never too late to find our way back.

This book will help you find a way of reconnecting with the great outdoors. Whether you like to walk, run or swim, admire the wildlife or forage for wild foods, within these pages there will be something to inspire you to get out into the fresh air and reignite your sense of wonder at the world around you. Nature is a balm for the body and soul, so escape the pace of the everyday and set yourself free: get out there, find adventure, and go wild!

This beautifully illustrated guide contains specific month-by-month ‘to do’ lists for ornamental gardens, edible crops and general maintenance, as well as tips on things to look out for, such as pests and how to eliminate them. With diary pages for making your own notes each month, this pocket-sized calendar is a must-have whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out. Pippa Greenwood is a leading light in the world of horticulture. She was a presenter on BBC Two’s Gardeners’ World for over 13 years and the gardening consultant for Rosemary and Thyme. She is a regular panellist and bug expert on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, has written a number of award-winning books and contributes to BBC Gardeners’ World magazine.

There was someone standing further along the beach, facing out to sea. An old man dressed in… I blinked… battle fatigues? Second World War U.S. by the looks of the helmet. I looked on for a moment, squinting into the sun-streaked coconut smoke.

‘You won’t like Bonga’s Guest House, I can tell you now. Maximo Bonga…’
said the fisherman’s wife. She was lost for words, shaking her head.

‘Maximum Bongo?’ I asked.

‘Bonga,’ she said. ‘It means flamboyant.’

Based on a true story

On one of South East Asia’s most remote beaches, a young woman’s body is found. The corrupt local police think they have found the perfect fall guy in Maximo Bonga – cantankerous World War Two veteran and owner of the weirdest guesthouse in town.

But unbeknownst to them, an unlikely friendship has been forged between Maximo and John, one of the boarders of Maximo’s guest-house-cum-boot-camp, where an old machine gun and camouflaged mantraps stand guard, sandbags form fences and a tyrannical pet rooster terrorises the guests. Along with an eccentric bunch of modern-world rejects, John sets out to defend the old soldier in a kangaroo court set up at the local cockpit, in a paradise like no other.

‘Brussels and all those Eurocrats on the gravy train? It’s just so boring. Why, you can’t even name ten famous Belgians!’

Until 1993, Alec had never been to Belgium, so it came as some surprise when in August that year he found himself at the altar of a small church in Flanders, reciting wedding vows in Flemish. It was the start, for better or for worse, of a long relationship with this unassuming and much maligned little country.

As he ordered yet another pint of Stella, it dawned on him that perhaps it was time to immerse himself in Belgian culture, especially when there were over a hundred locally produced beers on the menu. He vowed to put worldwide opinion to the test: just how boring can Belgium be?

There is a moment every morning when the countryside takes a pause. The birds stop singing, the dogs choke back their barks, and cats pause mid-stride. Everything waits. It’s in this vacuum that a man working alone has the best chance of finding truffles. The plot of land was perfect, just what they’d been looking for, offering expansive views across the valley and within walking distance of the local village. There was only one small problem, there was no house. And yet the land was affordable and came, the agent promised, with a possible income from a copse of truffle oaks. Just after the birth of their first daughter, after leaving the London rat race behind, here was a chance for Jamie and his wife to finally realise their dream of owning a property. With one final salivating glance at the oak trees the decision was made. All they needed now was a dog. And their quest to find and train a truffle dog turns out to be as full of hidden discoveries as a truffle hunt itself.

With delicious humour and superb storytelling, Ten Trees and a Truffle Dog is sure to delight anyone who loves dogs, food and rural France.

This charming compilation of 40 of the best-loved traditional nursery rhymes offers clues as to their true meanings and often surprising origins.

Many of the catchy songs we grew up with were not nonsense verses for the playground but served as satirical commentaries on political events of the day. These seemingly innocent vehicles were once used to spread subversive messages at a time when illiteracy was commonplace in society and direct criticism of the authorities was punishable by prison or death.

Sing a Song of Sixpence, a Pocketful of Rye, Four and Twenty Blackbirds Baked in a Pie… Was this simply about a delicacy of the day? Or was it, as some claim, a coded message used to recruit members for Blackbeard’s pirate ships?

This humorously illustrated book offers a trip down memory lane and some fascinating food for thought for anyone interested in English history and language.

Designed for the inept armchair gardener, this title gently guides the reader month by month through the seasons, showing what are weeds and what are not (even if the weeds are pretty), how to dig holes, and how to squish unwanted insects. You too can create a tranquil haven in your own backyard that you’ll be too exhausted to appreciate.

The English tongue has never tasted more delicious than in the mouth of Stephen Fry: his chokingly brilliant sesquipedalian prose is like a shaft of sunlight through the drizzle of quotidian language. Now, with this bound monograph, we can all emit a similarly exquisite effulgence and enjoy the bright shaft of Stephen Fry locution in the privacy of our own smallest pavilion. May his shaft continue to pleasure us for many years to come. After all, what could be fluffier?

Understand and overcome your health anxiety with this practical, supportive and easy-to-read guide

Everyone worries about their health sometimes, but if you find yourself constantly overwhelmed, How to Understand and Deal with Health Anxiety is here to help. This friendly, accessible guide has all the information and advice you need to identify the source of your struggles. By learning the science behind health anxiety and understanding how it affects your mind and body, you’ll start to gain control of it. With helpful tips, practical steps and actionable advice, this book will help you work out the best ways to spend less time worrying about your health, and more time living in the present moment.

By the end of this book, you will:
– Have a better understanding of what health anxiety is, how it manifests, what causes it, and how to identify symptoms and triggers
– Be armed with physical and practical steps you can take to alleviate health anxiety, from breathing exercises and coping mechanisms to healthy lifestyle choices
– Know about the medical treatments and therapies available, and how and when to seek professional help or support

With the right knowledge and guidance, you can learn to understand and manage your health anxiety so that you can get back to feeling like you again.

Make everyday moments delightfully dazzling and appreciate simple pleasures with this uplifting guide to romanticizing your life

Sometimes the most magical things in life are the simplest: a good book, the soft pitter-patter of rain, the feel of grass beneath bare feet. If we could fill our lives with these small pleasures and find ways to make even the most mundane activities feel special and exciting, just think how lovely our worlds could be.

Learn how to elevate your everyday with this stunning guide to finding joy in everything you do. “Romanticizing your life” doesn’t mean living a flashy lifestyle or spending like a superstar; it simply means taking small steps to make even the most ordinary day feel extraordinary.

This book is filled with fun and easy ideas to add sparkle to your daily routine, including:

– Using your fanciest dinnerware to make all meals feel like special occasions
– Infusing your glass of water with delicious fruits and flavours
– Listening to mood-boosting music to transform daily tasks and chores

And much more! With the help of this book, you’ll soon be on the path to a life that’s filled with gratitude, self-kindness, and simple, magical moments.

The popular party game we all know and love is just about to get a lot more interesting!

Strictly for over 18s, Adult Charades is bulging with hilarious ideas for TV shows, films, books, songs and much, much more, for you and your friends to act out in all their glorious detail.

With content including ‘Die Hard’ and a ‘Slow Comfortable Screw’ cocktail, you’re certain to be in stitches with this compendium of saucy and innuendo-laden suggestions!

Say yes to new adventures! This beautiful book is brimming with tips, recipes, activities and more to help you plan your perfect trip and discover the joys of camping in the great outdoors.

Camping is one of life’s purest pleasures. It’s a way to escape the frantic pace of the everyday, to get back to nature and to discover new experiences – and nothing comes close to the joy of sleeping under the stars.

Packed with ideas for first-time campers and seasoned experts alike, this book is sure to inspire your next trip and help you create memories to last a lifetime. Within these pages you will find:
– Handy camping hacks
– Delicious recipes
– Foraging tips
– Bushcraft basics
– Wild camping advice
– Inspiration for your travel bucket-list

… And much more! Whether you’re seeking a relaxing natural getaway or an intrepid wilderness adventure, the great outdoors is waiting for you. So, pack your bag, pick up your tent and go camping!

Joy is all around us. It’s in the first sip of a cup of tea, the beauty of a sunrise, or the simple pleasure of a deep breath, and it’s easy to find when you know where to look. All you need is five minutes.

This book includes over 60 prompts and ideas to help you to find joy every single day. Taking you through your morning, your afternoon and your evening, these tips will help you to elevate your mood and liven up your routine – and each one takes no longer than five minutes.

Tips include:

– Setting an intention for your day
– Performing a small act of kindness
– Eating outdoors in the fresh air
– Trying a grounding ritual
Even the smallest moment of positivity can transform your outlook, so whether you follow one tip or many, you’re sure to lift your spirits and find a small oasis of happiness every day.

Begin your healing journey with this step-by-step workbook to help you understand and deal with trauma

Trauma may seem like a daunting word, but it can cover many distressing events – from negative childhood experiences to the ordeal of living through a pandemic. It is often at the source of our fears and anxieties, and it can affect the way we live our lives.

The Healing Workbook contains practical advice, effective tips and guided exercises based on trusted cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to help you begin the process of recovery. Within these pages you will find support and encouragement as you begin to come to terms with the past and find your way back to yourself, your values and a life where you can flourish and thrive.

Use the workbook either on its own or alongside therapy to help you work through your trauma and find a sense of peace and healing.

Inside the book, you will find:
– A relaxed and supportive approach, allowing you to calmly complete the exercises at your own pace
– A hands-on attitude towards understanding your trauma, offering a wealth of tips and advice for working through your worries
– Clear and actionable advice on making lifestyle changes to support and improve your mental well-being
– Exercises grounded in research-supported CBT techniques

A practical, supportive and easy-to-read guide to help you understand and overcome anxiety, filled with helpful tips and actionable advice

Feeling overwhelmed? This little book is here to help.

How to Understand and Deal with Anxiety is a friendly, accessible guide with all the information and advice you need to identify the source of your struggles, and to take practical steps to reduce or manage the burden. By learning the science behind anxiety and understanding how it affects your mind and body, you’ll start to dismantle its hold on you. And with practical ways to manage the condition – including physical, medical and therapeutic perspectives – this book will help you work out the best ways you can support your mental health and improve your overall well-being.

By the end of this book, you will:
– Understand the science behind anxiety, how it manifests, what causes it, and how to identify symptoms and triggers
– Be armed with physical and practical steps you can take to alleviate anxiety, from breathing exercises and healthy lifestyle choices to problem-solving techniques and coping mechanisms
– Have a host of holistic remedies up your sleeve for when anxiety strikes, such as mindfulness, visualization and breathwork
– Know about the medical treatments and therapies available, and know how and when to seek professional help or support

With the right knowledge and guidance, you can learn to understand and manage anxiety so that you can get back to feeling like you again.