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    The Children's Book Review

    The Guardians of Iceland and Other Icelandic Folk Tales, by Heidi Herman | Dedicated Review

    Leah SylvanBy Leah Sylvan3 Mins Read Author Showcase Cultural Wisdom Teens: Young Adults
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    Review sponsored* by Heidi Herman
    The Children’s Book Review | December 13, 2016

    The Guardians of Iceland and Other Icelandic Folk TalesThe Guardians of Iceland and Other Icelandic Folk Tales

    Written by Heidi Herman

    Illustrated by Michael Di Gesu

    Age Range: Teen and up

    Paperback: 132 pages

    Publisher: Hekla Publishing LLC

    ISBN: 978-0998281605

    What to expect: Folk Tales, A Collection of Stories, Icelandic culture

    The Guardians of Iceland and Other Icelandic Folk Tales is a collection of 27 unique stories immersing the reader into early Icelandic culture. While each story stands alone, they vary in length from very short tales to longer ones, with established characters and more intricate events.

    Iceland as the backdrop to all the folk tales, with Heidi Herman describing vivid landscapes and scenes that deftly transport readers to the time and place of each story. Readers will feel the cold, harsh winters and see the rugged Icelandic mountains as they enjoy stories of trolls, mermen, and Hidden People.

    As a historical collection, the book is able to present different types of tales – some with fable-like messages at the end and some that are simply amusing stories passed down through the generations. Some of the legends end by informing the reader about a location or event:

    “On that day, the canyon was renamed for her, and has been known ever since as Trollwife’s Canyon.”

    And others present an outcome that has gone on to inform modern Icelandic culture:

    “To this day, any time an Icelander meets a stranger, they make sure to always be polite and courteous, sharing food and lodging freely, especially if the stranger is unusually beautiful. You can never be sure if it’s one of the Huldufolk.”

    Herman also ensures Icelandic terminology is used and includes phonetic spelling for many of these words, enabling readers to find it seamless to move through unfamiliar language and spellings. To supplement this, Herman also provides a brief Icelandic Pronunciation Guide in the back that serves as a reference.

    For teens and older readers, this book is a charming representation of Icelandic culture. It provides a glimpse into the fairy tales that inform many traditions and modern folklore in Iceland. It can be read from front to back, or picked up at any point in the middle to uncover a new magical legend from the early days of Iceland.

    Available Here: 

    Text, logoBuy on AmazonLogo

    About Heidi Herman

    Heidi Herman
    Heidi Herman © Michael Gowin Photography

    Heidi Herman is a native of Illinois, proud of her Scandinavian heritage and close ties to Iceland. Her mother is a native of Iceland, who met and married a US serviceman who was stationed there in WWII. Heidi grew up with stories of brave fishermen, mischievous trolls and adventurous Vikings. Heidi was inspired by her mother’s memoirs, moving from a career in telecommunications to once again being immersed in the childhood fascination of legend, lore and imaginative stories.  

    She has written three children’s books on Icelandic myths and legends, along with a cookbook of Icelandic dishes co-authored with her mother.

    Her first book was the Legend of the Icelandic Yule Lads, one of the best-known Icelandic folk tales. Heidi spends her time researching Icelandic folklore and mythology, writing, and speaking at events to share her Icelandic heritage and love of the country. She lives in Illinois with her Mom and her two Schnoodles, Dusty and Thor. For more information, visit: www.heidihermanauthor.com

    Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. Heidi Herman, the author of “The Guardians of Iceland and Other Icelandic Folk Tales,” sponsored* this non-biased review. Learn more about getting a book review …

    What to Read Next:

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    2. F. Isabel Campoy Discusses her Hispanic Folktale Collection
    3. Ripley’s Believe It or Not!: Dare to Look! | Dedicated Review
    4. Ripley’s Fun “Dare to Look” Interview with TCBR

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Books About Iceland Dedicated Review Folktales Heidi Herman Michael Di Gesu Story Collections
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    Leah Sylvan

    Leah Sylvan is a former analytical and deadline-driven IT project manager who is working on tapping into her creative side. She loves to read, eat delicious food, run, listen to music, and enjoy all things that relate to to her two beautiful daughters. (Except the gross stuff - her husband gets to handle the gross stuff.) Her favorite childhood books as a young kid were Shaggy Dogs and Spotty Dogs, ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, and The Cat in The Hat. As a big kid ... Nancy Drew books... ALL of them! She wishes she could travel to more distant places in the world, but also yearns to stay local and set foot in every corner of her beautiful home state of Colorado.

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