Sussex Folk Tales for Children

The stories in this collection have slipped on a sunbeam, skidded on the dew and sprinted fast as a fox to be here with you. Of course, they're true, puffed on to the page with a hint of lavender and a gust of sage. They tell of Sussex: its sparkling seas; chalk giants; wise witches and crossdressing smugglers. Once you've heard them, you'll know that when leaves skitter, it's Puck, the sprite of Sussex, fighting with his sister the Fairy Queen. When you hear laughter in the forest, it's Flint, the phantom highwayman making his escape, and when you run over the Downs, you'll remember they were shaped by the Devil's buttocks. These tales - specially chosen for the enjoyment of 7- to 11-year-old readers - sparkle with magic and explode with adventure. Not only will children love to read them, or listen to them being read, these stories will also stimulate an interest in the county and help children engage with their own surroundings.

Xanthe Gresham-Knight tours internationally and has been Storyteller in Residence for The Chelsea Physic Garden, Harvard University, Psychologies Magazine, Hastings Storytelling Festival, Stoke and Staffordshire Libraries and have received numerous commissions from The British Museum and The Smithsonian. She has performed at major UK Literature Festivals including Hay and Cheltenham and has created 8 performance art shows for adults on different Goddesses for venues including The Barbican, National and Soho Theatres.