Books for Pagan Children: Elementary (T-Z)

Previous

It can be difficult to find books for your Pagan children to read. You want books that teach them your values, and maybe something close to your beliefs and traditions.

I have compiled a list of good books by great authors. Many are outright Pagan. Some are Pagan in flavor or Pagan-friendly. I am noting when the author is a confirmed Pagan to encourage support of Pagan authors and artists. If you know an author is Pagan, but they aren't marked as such, send me a message and I will correct it.

• Time Garden, The by EdwardEager (Fantasy)
  Time and again, the children from Knight’s Castle have longed for another magic adventure. But you can’t find magic just anywhere. It doesn’t just grow like grass. It requires the right place and the right time. Or thyme, as the case may be. For at Mrs. Whiton’s house, magic grows wild as the fragrant banks of thyme in her garden. Eliza insists that time doesn’t grow, it flies - yet growing in the garden is olden time, future time, and common time. Or so says the Natterjack, the odd toad-like creature who presides over the garden and accompanies the kids on a series of perilous, hilarious, always unpredictable adventures.

• Walking the World in Wonder: A Children's Herbal by Ellen Evert Hopman (Non-Fiction) *PAGAN*
  Walking the World in Wonder covers the medicinal and magical uses of sixty-seven common herbs. Each herb playfully introduces itself and talks about its habitat and many uses. With fun, easy-to-follow activities, herbalist Ellen Evert Hopman teaches children basic herbal skills and invites them to make a sunflower seed mosaic, sew a catnip-filled mouse, and dig for Jerusalem artichoke roots. Children gain a sense of self-sufficiency and awe for the earth's treasures; parents and teachers will appreciate how these earth-centered activities are placed within a broader social and environmental context. Sixty-seven full-color photographs enable children, parents, and teachers to identify these herbs during walks and field trips.

• Water Wishes (Magic Elements Quartet) by Mallory Loehr (Fiction)
  Nine-year-old Polly and her younger brother, Sam, find a corked bottle at the beach. Inside is an ancient parchment promising three wishes. Before their adventure is over, older brother Joe will disappear and Polly and Sam will have to journey under the sea to get him back! This first book in the new Magic Elements quartet combines magic and adventure in an easy-to-read format perfect for the in-between reader.

• We Gather Together: Celebrating the HarvestSeason by Wendy Pfeffer (Non-Fiction)
  The official start of the harvest season, it occurs around September 21 each year. It marks the end of summer and the beginning of longer nights and shorter days. For many cultures around the world, the fall equinox represents a time to celebrate the harvest and begin collecting and storing crops.

• Well-Wishers, The by Edward Eager (Fantasy)
  The wishing well is all used up, its magic drained, its enchantment gone dry. Or has it? In a reckless moment, Gordy threatens the old well, telling it to get going with its magic or else! and that seems to do the trick. Suddenly Laura, Lydia, James, and Kip—who feared their autumn would unfold without magic—are plunged into just the sort of outlandish adventures they'd longed for. But is it really the well's magic that transforms troublemaker Dicky LeBaron from ne'er-do-well to hero? Or keeps Appledore's orchard—and love life—in bloom? Or sends James on a doubly daring rescue of a damsel in distress? What does it matter? Sometimes the best kind of magic is the kind that isn't so magical at all.

• Who's in Rabbit's House? by Verna Aardema (Myths)
  A Masai tale, presented in the form of a play, in which the frog gets the job of getting a monster out of the rabbit's house after the leopard, elephant, and rhino bungle the job.

• Wind Spell (Magic Elements Quartet) by Mallory Loehr (Fiction)
  Three feathers fall out of the sky into the hands of Joe, Polly, and Sam. It’s clear that magic is touching their lives again when they see words written in the clouds—promising them the ability to fly! What more could kids wish for? But the threesome will soon find out that the power of flight is not only fabulously fun, but also deadly dangerous.

• Winged Cat, The: A Tale of Ancient Egypt by Deborah Nourse Lattimore (Fantasy)
  In ancient Egypt, a young servant girl and a High Priest must each find the correct magic spells from the Book of the Dead that open the twelve gates of the Netherworld to determine who is telling the truth about the death of the girl's sacred cat.

• Wise Child by MonicaFurlong (Fiction)
  In a remote Scottish village, nine-year-old Wise Child is taken in by Juniper, a healer and sorceress. Then Wise Child’s mother, Maeve, a black witch, reappears. In choosing between Maeve and Juniper, Wise Child discovers the extent of her supernatural powers—and her true loyalties.

• Witch's Primer, A: Grade One by Lorin Manderly (Non-Fiction) *PAGAN*
  Finally! Here is a children's textbook for kids being raised as Witches and Pagans. Each chapter teaches the Wiccan basics for each subject and ends with a summary and a list of questions for children to test their knowledge on the material learned. ¿This is the first in a series of textbooks that will get progressively more advanced for each grade. The intent is to help students begin their Wiccan education and prepare them for seeking out further knowledge on the topics that interest them the most.

• Witch's Primer, A: Grade Two by Lorin Manderly (Non-Fiction) *PAGAN*
  The second in the A Witch's Primer series. This is a text book for children being raised Pagan and for adults who are new to the Craft. Each of the 18 chapters includes questions about what has been learned.

• Witch's Primer, A: Grade Three by Lorin Manderly (Non-Fiction) *PAGAN*
  The Witch's Primer books are a series of textbooks for children being raised as Pagan and for adults new to the Craft. Each of the 18 chapters ends with a question and answer page to test the reader's progress.

• Witches in the Kitchen by Blair Drawson (Fiction)
  Readers will celebrate, along with Ivy, the important pagan holidays of Beltaine (Mayday), Midsummer's Day, and Samhain (Halloween), and gather all sorts of witchy tips, tradition, and lore, including potions (herbal remedies), familiars (not pets), crafts (Twig People), the proper care of brooms and cauldrons, and much, much more.

• Z is for Zeus: A Greek Mythology Alphabet by Helen L. Wilbur (Activity)
  Whose face launched a thousand ships? Who dropped an apple to win a race? What creature has the head of a woman, the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and always wakes up on the wrong side of the bed? The Oracle knows and so will young readers after they encounter the strange creatures, exotic gods, and exciting stories in Z is for Zeus: A Greek Mythology Alphabet. Helen Wilbur, who wrote the lively M is for Meow: A Cat Alphabet, brings the same wit and wisdom to explaining Greek mythology.

Books for Pagan Children: Elementary (P-S)

Previous

It can be difficult to find books for your Pagan children to read. You want books that teach them your values, and maybe something close to your beliefs and traditions.

I have compiled a list of good books by great authors. Many are outright Pagan. Some are Pagan in flavor or Pagan-friendly. I am noting when the author is a confirmed Pagan to encourage support of Pagan authors and artists. If you know an author is Pagan, but they aren't marked as such, send me a message and I will correct it.

• Pagan Children's Workbook by Lady Eliana (Activity) *PAGAN*
  A resource for modern Pagan, Wiccan, and Craft parents to help their children learn about our religion. The Pagan Children's Workbook will guide children through learning about topics such as the Elements, the Goddess and God, and the Wheel of the Year.

• Pagan Kids' Activity Book by Amber K (Activity) *PAGAN*
  This book is a great book for kids between about 6 and 12. It can be looked at on several levels. On one level, it's a coloring book kids can fill in which has pictures of a number of pagan principles and archetypes. On another level this book is a tool a parent can use to discuss the more complicated aspects of human religions and how tolerance is important for all the paths that we as humans walk. The book has pages which include: moon phases, what a worship circle is and means to a pagan, aspects of the Goddess and the God, various pagan symbols and their meanings, a discussion of the various pagan holidays (focusing mostly on Celtic/Wicca ones), and discusses the Wiccan Rede. As well there are mazes, games, and puzzles for kids to do.

• Paganism For Kiddos: A Kids and Parents' Guideto Pagan and Wiccan Practice by JessicaM. Hauptmann (Non-Fiction) *PAGAN*
  This delightful introduction to Paganism and earth-centered practice is the perfect start for those who wish to learn about the ways of our ancestors. Written for children, the simple language throughout each page makes this book suitable for all ages and is a stepping stone for further detailed reading in dark green religions and The Craft. Kids will love to read this little book, just right for their little hands, and will deepen their understanding of their parents' Pagan path.

• Puck of Pook's Hill by Rudyard Kipling (Fantasy)
  Originally published in 1906, these ten stories and accompanying poems were intended for both adults and children. On Midsummer's Eve, Dan and Una enact A Midsummer Night's Dream three times over--right under Pook's Hill. That is how they meet Puck, ''the oldest Old Thing in England,'' and the last of the People of the Hills. Through Puck, they are introduced to the nearly forgotten pages of old England's history and to characters that can illuminate their own historical predicaments. The god Weland is freed from an unwanted heathen immortality by a novice monk, Hugh, who goes on to become a warrior and leader. The centurion, Parnesius, shows an insight that is absent from the higher echelons of the declining Roman Empire in cooperating with the Picts.

• Seven-Day Magic by EdwardEager (Fantasy)
  All books are magic, but some are more magical than others. When Susan opens a strange library book, she discovers it is about her and her friends, leading up to the moment when she opened the book. Beyond that, the pages are blank… waiting for the children to wish the book full of adventures. Fredericka asks for wizards and beasties, and a dragon carries her off. Susan journeys to the world of Half Magic, and finds that mixing magic creates trouble—far too much to deal with before the book is due back at the library. Wishing, it seems, is a tricky business. And if the children make the wrong wish, their adventure won't end, as all stories must, happily ever after.

• Shanleya's Quest: A Botany Adventure for Kids by Thomas J. Elpel (Fantasy)
  In a mythical world where time is a liquid that falls as rain upon the land, young Shanleya paddles her canoe out to the tree islands to learn the plant traditions of her people. Each island is home to a separate family of plants and an unforgettable Guardian with lessons to teach about the identification and uses of those plants. Shanleya's Quest is a truly unique educational book that presents botanical concepts and plant identification skills in an easy and fun metaphorical format for children as well as for adults who are young at heart.

• Shiva's Fire by SuzanneFisher Staples (Fantasy)
  From her childhood, Parvati is known in her village for the extraordinary events that seem to spring from her dancing feet, and which set her and her family apart. One day a great guru, a master of Indian classical dance, comes to see Parvati. He invites her to study with him, and she commits herself to a rigorous program of dance, study, and devotion. Then she meets a gentle-eyed boy who turns her life upside down, and she learns that destiny can be an elusive thing.

• Shortest Day, The: Celebrating the WinterSolstice by Wendy Pfeffer (Non-Fiction)
  The beginning of winter is marked by the solstice, the shortest day of the year. Long ago, people grew afraid when each day had fewer hours of sunshine than the day before. Over time, they realized that one day each year the sun started moving toward them again. In lyrical prose and cozy illustrations, this book explains what the winter solstice is and how it has been observed by various cultures throughout history. Many contemporary holiday traditions were borrowed from ancient solstice celebrations. Simple science activities, ideas for celebrating the day in school and at home, and a further-reading list are included.

• Solstice Tree for Jenny, A by Karen Shragg (Fiction)
  It's Christmas time all across America and Jenny is feeling left out. Her secular parents, born to different faiths that they no longer observe, don't believe in celebrating Christmas. All around her the neighbors have decorated their houses with festive lights, while her house by contrast looks drab and uninviting during the long, cold winter nights. Why does her family have to be different? She talks with her mom and dad about their reasons for not observing the holidays.

• Stories for a Fragile Planet: Traditional TalesAbout Caring for the Earth by KennethSteven (Fiction)
  Sourced from around the world and through the ages, this is a collection of world stories that each reflect humanity's need to take care of the world that sustains them. Tales from ancient Greece, the Far East, the Celts, Africa, Greenland, Russia, China, Japan, South America, and ancient Israel afford wonderful opportunities for Jane Ray's paradisiacal paintings of trees and flowers, animals and birds—in short, all creation. The theme combines tradition with contemporary urgency, and children will gain knowledge of other cultures that share their planet, while enjoying the evocative words and astonishing pictures.

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Books for Pagan Children: Elementary (M-O)

Previous

It can be difficult to find books for your Pagan children to read. You want books that teach them your values, and maybe something close to your beliefs and traditions.

I have compiled a list of good books by great authors. Many are outright Pagan. Some are Pagan in flavor or Pagan-friendly. I am noting when the author is a confirmed Pagan to encourage support of Pagan authors and artists. If you know an author is Pagan, but they aren't marked as such, send me a message and I will correct it.

• Magic by the Lake by Edward Eager (Fantasy)
  Further adventures of Mark, Katherine, Jane, and Martha, who find their source of magic in a lake near which they are spending the summer.

• Magic or Not? by EdwardEager (Fantasy)
  When is magic not magic? Laura is a girl who goes out of her way to find adventure. So when her family moves to a house with a well in the yard—a wishing well, according to Lydia, Laura's opinionated, horse-mad, outrageous new neighbor—Laura is all too willing to make a wish and see what happens. Plenty happens. Thanks to the well, Laura and her new friends help save Miss Isabella's house from foreclosure, rescue the almost long-lost heir to a fortune, and even solve the mystery of the antique desk. But is the well truly granting wishes? Or is something else responsible for the adventures that engulf Laura and her friends that summer?

• Maia's Wheel of the Year by Dene Nelson (Activity) *PAGAN*
  Join 11 year old Maia and best friend, Rhiana, as they have adventures at Ggantija while learning the Wheel of the Year! An historically accurate story based on archeological findings by Dr. Marija Gimbutas and Native American and Celtic spiritual practices. According to Dr. Gimbutas, a peace-loving society of equals existed during the Neolithic period in Malta. Girls were powerful! How did they do it?

• More Unicorns by DarlaHallmark (Activity) *PAGAN*
  Twenty MORE unicorn drawings from this noted fantasy illustrator. Designed especially for both children and adults to color. The drawings stimulate creativity, and are fun inspiriation for story-telling time.

• Nature's Art Box by Laura C. Martin (Activity)
  Take your child’s creativity outside! Laura C. Martin offers 65 art projects that kids can make with materials found right in their backyard. There’s no limit to the imaginative possibilities as children mix paints from colorful flower blossoms, dig clay for molding elf-sized furniture, and craft functional twig baskets. Cultivating a respectful engagement with nature while developing artistic skills, Nature’s Art Box is an inspiring handbook for the next generation of expressive and conscientious stewards of the earth’s resources.

• New Beginning, A: Celebrating the Spring Equinox by Wendy Pfeffer (Non-Fiction)
  The spring equinox signals the time of year when the days are getting longer, the growing season has begun, and animals give birth to their young. With accessible, lyrical prose and vibrant illustrations, this book explains the science behind spring and shows how the annual ?rebirth? of Earth has been celebrated by various cultures throughout the ages and the world. Teachers will appreciate the simple science, the multicultural history, and the hands-on activities in this book.

• Ordinary Girl, a Magical Child, An by W. Lyon Martin (Fiction) *PAGAN*
  Take a joyful romp with Rabbit around the Wheel of the Year as she learns about herself and her Pagan Ways in the first fully-illustrated Pagan children's book to explore Pagan ethics, customs, and holidays from a child's point of view. Lavishly illustrated with original watercolors, the book is designed for school-aged children, whether they are being raised Pagan or are curious about a Pagan friend's religious path. This book explains in a clear and gentle voice just what a Pagan is, what a Pagan believes, and how a Pagan celebrates through the year.

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Books for Pagan Children: Elementary (I-L)

Previous

It can be difficult to find books for your Pagan children to read. You want books that teach them your values, and maybe something close to your beliefs and traditions.

I have compiled a list of good books by great authors. Many are outright Pagan. Some are Pagan in flavor or Pagan-friendly. I am noting when the author is a confirmed Pagan to encourage support of Pagan authors and artists. If you know an author is Pagan, but they aren't marked as such, send me a message and I will correct it.

• I'm in Charge of Celebrations by Byrd Baylor (Non-Fiction)
  
  Byrd Baylor's text captures and shares some of the special experiences in the Southwest desert country that have inaugurated her private celebrations.

• Iduna and the Magic Apples by Marianna Mayer (Myths)
  
  The evil giant Thiassi vows to capture Iduna and her magic apples which give the gods on Valhalla everlasting life.

• Knight's Castle by Edward Eager (Fantasy)
  
  If the old toy soldier hadn’t come to life, Roger would never have discovered the magic. And that would never have happened if he and his sister, Ann, hadn’t been sent to stay with their bossy cousins for the summer. And that wouldn’t have happened at all if their father hadn’t gotten sick and gone into the hospital. But all of that did happen, and now Roger, his sister, and their cousins find themselves in a bygone world of chivalry and knighthood, of Robin Hood and Ivanhoe. In this knightly realm they can make a difference, and perhaps even save the person they most need to save, if only they are smart and brave enough, if only they are true to their hearts.

• Lady of Ten Thousand Names, The: Goddess Stories from Many Cultures by Burleigh Muten (Myths)
  
  Drawing from traditional tales and sacred texts worldwide, Burleigh Muten presents eight brave and powerful goddesses who struggle with their own unique set of challenges as they strive to assert their independence and authority. This is an experience to share and to treasure.

• Legends of Earth, Air, Fire and Water by Eric Hadley (Myths)
  
  A reprint of this collection of legends, first published in 1985, illustrated throughout in colour.

• Legends of the Sun and Moon by Eric Hadley (Myths)
  
  Twelve traditional tales about the sun and the moon from a variety of cultures.

• Little Witch Goes to School by Deborah Hautzig (Fiction)
  
  Little Witch wants to go to school just like her friends, but her mother thinks she should stay home and learn from her witchy aunts. Mother Witch finally agrees to let Little Witch go, but only if she promises to be very, very bad. It's a wild ride on a broomstick that kids won't soon forget! The third book in the popular Little Witch series, Little Witch Goes to School has all the mixed-up magic and quirky humor kids have come to love in the first two books.

• Little Witch Learns to Read by Deborah Hautzig (Fiction)
  
  Guess who’s learning to read? Little Witch is—and she loves it. But Mother Witch won’t allow nice books about princesses and princes in the house! Little Witch resorts to using invisibility spells and staying up late to read, but it’s starting to wear her out. When the Witch family finally discovers Little Witch’s secret reading habit, she has one last trick to change their minds about books!

• Little Witch's Big Night by Deborah Hautzig (Fiction)
  
  Forced to stay at home on Halloween because she's been too good, Little Witch gives three trick-or-treaters high-flying broomstick rides.

• Longest Day, The: Celebrating the Summer Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer (Non-Fiction)
  
  In this fourth and final book in the series about seasons, Wendy Pfeffer turns her attention to summer, when butterflies emerge from silky cocoons and daylight hours stretch longer and longer. With lyrical prose and vibrant illustrations, The Longest Day takes us on a journey through the history and science behind the summer solstice, with a focus on summer celebrations from various cultures around the world. Teachers and students alike will treasure the varied and accessible knowledge, and activities in the back let everyone in on the festivities.

• Lord of the Dance by Darla Hallmark (Activity) *PAGAN*
  
  The traditional words of Lord of the Dance, fully illustrated in colorable pictures by a noted fantasy illustrator. Designed especially for both adults and children to color.

• Ludo and the Star Horse by Mary Stewart (Fiction)
  
  A boy follows his horse on a journey through all the houses of the zodiac.

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Books for Pagan Children: Elementary (F-H)

Previous

It can be difficult to find books for your Pagan children to read. You want books that teach them your values, and maybe something close to your beliefs and traditions.

I have compiled a list of good books by great authors. Many are outright Pagan. Some are Pagan in flavor or Pagan-friendly. I am noting when the author is a confirmed Pagan to encourage support of Pagan authors and artists. If you know an author is Pagan, but they aren't marked as such, send me a message and I will correct it.

• Fairyopolis: A Flower Fairy's Journal by Glen Bird (Fantasy)
  
  Do you believe in fairies? Protected and hidden by a society of Fairy lovers for over 80 years the secret fairy journal of Cicely Mary Barker is available for the first time ever to the public. Learn what really happened during that magical Summer of 1920 when Cicely Mary Barker discovered the secret world of the Flower Fairies.

• Fire Dreams (Magic Elements Quartet) by Mallory Loehr (Fiction)
  
  Fire Travel Directions, Part 1: With first light use copper, at daylight use gold, at moonlight use silver. This is the message the fire delivers to Sam, Polly, and Joe. But what exactly is fire travel, and where will it take them? Without fully understanding what they’re getting into, the three kids prepare to follow the glowing parchment’s instructions. But it’s always dangerous to play with fire, especially when it’s magic.

• Forbidden Door, The by Marilee Heyer (Fantasy)
  
  Having spent all her life in fabulous underground caves, Reena stumbles upon the Forbidden Door to Outside and discovers the terrible secret of the Okira, who had forced Reena's ancestors into the caves many years before.

• Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp (Non-Fiction)
  
  Giving Thanks is a special children's version of the Thanksgiving Address, a message of gratitude that originated with the Native people of upstate New York and Canada and that is still spoken at ceremonial gatherings held by the Iroquois, or Six Nations.

• Goddesses by Burleigh Muten (Myths)
  
  For many thousands of years, stories of goddesses have inspired women and girls from all over the world. Now, the strength and power of these divine women has been collected into one breathtaking volume, featuring fascinating descriptions by goddess expert Burleigh Muten of over one hundred of the world's most celebrated goddesses. With stunning classical artwork by Rebecca Guay, the entries and images in Goddesses come together to form a powerful mirror that illuminates the most radiant and complex aspects of womankind, helping to redefine what it is to be feminine.

• Green Boy by Susan Cooper (Fiction)
  
  Long Pond Cay, in the Bahamas, is a magical white-sand island, and twelve-year-old Trey and silent seven-year-old Lou love to visit its loneliness. But one day the magic becomes nightmare, and suddenly they are in another world, strident, polluted, and overcrowded -- where little Lou is hailed not as a mute Bahamian boy but as the mythic hero Lugh, born to bring terrible destruction and renewal. Carried betwween worlds in a zigzag adenture of mounting tension and danger, the children risk their lives not only to save the alien world, but to ward off a new, parallel threat to their beloved Long Pond Cay. The forces of myth and nature explode together in an amazing climax.

• Growing Up Pagan: A Workbook for Wiccan Families by Raine Hill (Activity) *PAGAN*
  
  Finally, a children's workbook designed for Pagan families! Rich, exciting stories to read together and discuss, as well as activities to reinforce lessons in a fun way. Chock-full of puzzles, games, mythology, beautiful illustrations, and Pagan symbols, this workbook teaches the basic Wiccan belief system. Let this be a family affair, with parents, older siblings, and young children taking part in a "something-for-everyone" Pagan experience. A teaching tool for Pagan families, or others wanting to teach their children diversity.

• Gwinna by Barbara Helen Berger (Fantasy)
  
  Longing for a child, the woodworker and his wife seek help from the Mother of Owls. She grants them a child, Gwinna, on the condition they send her back on her 12th birthday to fulfill the destiny her magic and hew wings hold in store for her. A lyrical tale of classic enchantment and unfrogettable beauty. Full-color illustrations.

• Half Magic by Edward Eager (Fantasy)
  
  Magic never happens, not really, Mark tells his sisters. But something strange is going on. Jane is sure it all started when they found the silver coin. It was in her pocket when she made a wish that half came true. Jane insists that all they have to do now is wish for twice as much as they want and they will get a full wish. What could possibly go wrong.

• Halloween Tree, The by Ray Bradbury (Fantasy)
  
  Eight costumed boys running to meet their friend Pipkin at the haunted house outside town encounter instead the huge and cadaverous Mr. Moundshroud. As Pipkin scrambles to join them, he is swept away by a dark Something, and Moundshroud leads the boys on the tail of a kite through time and space to search the past for their friend and the meaning of Halloween. After witnessing a funeral procession in ancient Egypt, cavemen discovering fire, Druid rites, the persecution of witches in the Dark Ages, and the gargoyles of Notre Dame, they catch up with the elusive Pipkin in the catacombs of Mexico, where each boy gives one year from the end of his life to save Pipkin's.

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