Lost & Found
By Elizabeth Garner
Lost & Found
By Elizabeth Garner
A treasure trove of folk tales by Elizabeth Garner
Unbound Exclusives
About the book
'It’s the job of each generation to make the old tales speak afresh, and in this collection Elizabeth Garner has fashioned a vibrant web' Hugh Lupton
Folk tales take us beyond our own boundaries into unknown lands. Yet within these adventures, riddles and enchantments we find our common ground and shared humanity. Lost & Found is Elizabeth Garner’s own retelling of fifteen treasured folk tales that have nurtured, sustained, terrified and enthralled her in equal measure. Some of the stories are taken from the books of her childhood, some are remembered, and others she has discovered in her reading over the years.
Garner’s tapestry of words is adorned with engraver Phoebe Connolly's beautiful woodcut illustrations that bring the friends and foes of folklore to life. Included in the collection are stories such as ‘The Riddle of the Crossroads’, ‘The Twisted Oak’, ‘The Wits of the Whetstone’ and many more. With a varied and diverse cast of characters, Garner’s retellings expertly traverse a myriad of mysterious worlds; always staying true to tradition, while simultaneously speaking to modern times.
This illustrated collection is another link in the chain between storyteller, listener and our shared ancestors: tales from the past, told to enrich the present and to be carried forward into the future.
More information
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Elizabeth Garner
Elizabeth Garner is the author of two novels: Nightdancing and The Ingenious Edgar Jones, both of which were influenced by traditional Folk Tale narratives and motifs. Lost & Found is her first collection of rewritten stories.
The daughter of author Alan Garner and English teacher Griselda Garner, Elizabeth grew up in a home and landscape rich in imaginative play and folklore. It was there that she first encountered the oral storytelling tradition and has been an avid supporter ever since.
She studied English literature at Oxford University and trained as a film script editor, working for a variety of European and US production companies. She now works as a freelance fiction editor and teaches creative writing.
She is the arts Trustee at The Blackden Trust, an educational charity established by her parents at the family home in Cheshire – where the promotional video for Lost and Found was filmed. - How long will it take for my book to get dispatched?For books in stock we usually dispatch orders within a few working days. You will receive a dispatch email when your order is on the way.Where can I get my book delivered to?We have temporarily stopped taking orders for published books going to EU destinations due to BREXIT restrictions, but we deliver to most other countries worldwide. Enter your delivery address during checkout and we'll display the shipping cost when we know where to send your book. If your country does not appear on the list we are not currently taking orders to that destination.If I buy an ebook, when will I receive this?Ebook files are sent via email after checkout, or you can download them from your Unbound account.Where can I buy a copy if there's none available through the Unbound website?The book should be available to order from most bookshops, or you can support your local bookshop online by ordering from bookshop.org.
- 22nd November 2022 Lost & Found out on the Long Roads
I hope you are all well and enjoying the turn of the seasons. It's been a busy couple of months in the world of Lost & Found - and I'm delighted to share the very exciting news of a Folk Tales & Folk Song show in collaboration with the brilliant, critically-acclaimed duo Patterson Dipper. We're taking tales and tunes out on the Long Roads and up North this weekend.
Click on the links here…
16th September 2022 Lost & Found - Upwards & Onwards!So very excited to be ushuring Lost & Found out into the world! Thanks so much to each and every one of you for your support along the way. The book would not exist without you, it's as simple as that.
In celebration Unbound have released this beautiful film by David Heke with music by John Dipper. It was originally the start of the promo that we made for the launch of the campaign, so it's…
12th August 2022 Uncommon Ground - with Lost & FoundIt's so exciting to be at the final stages of the journey of getting Lost & Found out into the world. It has been a long road, but a very enjoyable one - thank-you, all of you, for your generous support and company along the way. Books are being signed, rewards are being organised and you should all get your copies very soon.
As you will know from my updates, The Blackden Trust has been a key…
21st July 2022 Lost & Found - printed & bound!I'm delighted to let you all know that Lost & Found has been printed and is now a 3-dimensional reality. I'm so proud of how it has turned out, and I can't wait for you to have your own books to hold. To whet your appetite, here's the moment the advance copies arrived on my own kitchen table!
A few exciting things need to happen before Unbound can send yours out to you: I'll be heading into London…
19th March 2022 Words & Pictures for Lost & FoundI'm delighted to be able to share this lovely video commissioned by the Unbounders to celebrate World Storytelling Day 2022 - which in a moment of extreme serendipity is exploring the theme of "Lost and Found."
Click on this link to join myself and John Mitchinson as we take a sneak peek into my notebooks and also explore a selection of Phoebe's beautiful illustrations. Catch a glimpse of…
4th March 2022 All Is RevealedI'm so excited to be able to share the actual cover of Lost & Found. This simply would not have happened without your support, so thank you all, once again, for bringing the collection into the world.
Taken from Phoebe's illustration for Little Stupid, cover design by Mark Ecob. If that apple and saucer look familiar that's because they appeared in The Power Of 3 update, sitting by the Blackden…
2nd February 2022 Imbolc and onwardsImbolc greetings to all! There are signs of Spring ahead and new beginnings, in more ways than one.
Firstly, I wanted to share the practical news... We're at proof reading corrections stages now, and it's so exciting to see all the elements coming together. However, following discussions with my editor at Unbound about the best time to publish Lost & Found in the wider world, we have taken the…
26th January 2022 From the depths of the forest...Happy New Year! I hope you are all keeping warm and well. In these darker months I'm delighted to be able to share an illustration from one of the darker tales of Lost & Found rising from the blocks. Little Sparrow is sent into the forest by her wicked Stepmother to fetch a needle and thread from the Stepmother's sister. And this is where the path leads her...
Every child in the village had…
1st December 2021 The Phoenix is risingFollowing on from the sketch updates of a couple of weeks ago, I am very excited to be able to share the actual phoenix rising from the blocks in Phoebe's studio. I'm sure I am preaching to the wise here, but the phoenix is traditionally a symbol of regeneration and rebirth. It has many stories of its own, but in Lost & Found it is glimpsed at a key point in the journey of the eponymous hero of …
17th November 2021 Light & Dark in Lost & FoundIt's been a busy few months behind the scenes in the world of Lost & Found. The text of the book is now at the final design stages, and it's just so exciting to see the tales transforming into proper print. More news on that very soon...
In the meantime, Phoebe's beautiful illustrations are emerging from the blocks. These two images give you some sense of the wonderful range of her work. They…
19th July 2021 Monday Milestones: Final edits & 600 supporters!Such a great start to the week in the land of Lost & Found! I’m thrilled to have reached the 600 supporters’ mark. Thank you, all of you, for your interest and generosity. It’s so very much appreciated, especially at this stage of submitting the final edits of the manuscript. We’re one step nearer to your bookshelves…
The collection was always intended to work as a narrative…
7th June 2021 Lost, Found & Footnoted!Exciting news to share today! The final rewrite of Lost & Found has been completed and the manuscript has been duly dispatched to the Editorial team at Unbound. We're one step closer to landing on your bookshelves. Thank you so much for the ongoing support, it makes a huge difference to know you're out there cheering us on.
In addition to the fine-tuning of the tales, I've also been working…
26th March 2021 Beautiful bookplate for the turning of the seasons...Spring is on its way, and all sorts of wonders are emerging from the woods and the hedgerows... in both the Real and the Other World! I'm just so excited to be sharing Phoebe's beautiful bookplate design. It has been specially commissioned for the collection and, as with all of Phoebe's work, it's a collectors' piece in its own right.
Each supporter can fill in their name on their bookplate…
11th February 2021 A Love Token & A Stolen MoonAbsolutely delighted to be able to offer a very special new pledge level. Phoebe has been working away on this for a while now and it's been incredibly hard to keep quiet about it! A real joy of developing Lost & Found has been the collaborations and creativity that have resulted from the Tales. No more so than in this case...
As well as being a wood-engraver and illustrator, Phoebe…
29th January 2021 Finding & Keeping In FebruaryBelated Happy New Year to all! Phoebe and I have been combatting the challenges of lockdown by retreating further into the fictional worlds. We'll be sharing our work in progress with you as the book comes together... One of the great pleasures of publishing with Unbound is this ongoing connection with you, the supporters.
The Finding & Keeping online workshops really bring this into focus…
22nd December 2020 Seasons Greetings from the fictional forest...Seasons Greetings and best wishes to you all for the turning of this very strange year. The supoort for Lost & Found has really kept me going during these challenging months, thank you - all of you!
Phoebe has been working away in her studio and it's so exciting to see her initial sketches for the wood engravings. The call and response between image and text is building a wonderful momentum.…
2nd December 2020 90 minutes of Folk Lore, Folk Tale and Fantastic Finds!I had a lovely time the other weekend, sitting round the online virtual kitchen table with the wonderful Dr. Tim Campbell-Green sharing treasures from The Blackden Trust and tales from Lost & Found. Some sample pictures below... I know many of you were out there in the internet ether, listening in - it was lovely to have you joining us. But for those of you who missed it, here's the link to the…
30th October 2020 Second Samhain: Objects can and will tell stories...It's very moving to look back at my update this time last year. We'd been up and running for a week and had just got to the 15% mark. Those early pledges really helped to gather momentum and belief behind the book... and now here we are at 104%! Thank you so much for all the support along the way.
I am now delighted to now be able to offer a seasonal treat. Back in March, just before the…
27th October 2020 Workshop dates confirmed - and a few places left!I've been combatting the change in the seasons by retreating further into imaginary worlds and planning the Finding & Keeping Folktales Writing Workshop. Here's a sneak peek inside my notebook so you can see how it's all shaping up... You can also find more details on the Featured Rewards link on the Unbound page.
The workshop will be online and interactive - probably on zoom, I'm just fine…
20th October 2020 The Twisted Oak is growing...Since we reached the 100% mark with Lost & Found Phoebe and I have been working away behind the scenes. It's so very exciting to see the call and response between text and illustration gathering momentum.
I'm delighted to be able to offer a glimpse into Phoebe's candlelit studio and share this initial sketch of The Twisted Oak which will form the basis of the wood engraving. Here's the moment…
8th September 2020 100% & A huge thank-you!Well, it's been an emotional morning! So thrilled to have reached the 100% mark with Lost & Found. We couldn't have got here without your help and support - and belief in the project right from the start. It's so exciting to know that the book will be making its way out into the world. I'll be in touch again soon as plans shape up and will continue to share progress. But for now, I just want…
26th August 2020 90% & The Whole Of The Stolen MoonIt's been another busy week in Lost & Found land! Absolutely delighted to have made the 90% milestone today. We really are at the final twist and turn of the Long Roads now. Thank you so much for travelling alongside us - and please do continue to share news of the book to bring us home safely...
In celebration, I am sharing the full text of Stealing The Moon - I gave a fragment in an earlier…
20th August 2020 Folk Tales workshopIn these strange and challenging times I have been so touched to see the support for Lost & Found building to the milestone of 80%. We do indeed need our Folk Tales more than ever - thank you all so much for backing the project. We really are on the home straight now, and we couldn't have got this far without you. Please do continue to share, the sooner we get to the finish line, the sooner we…
29th May 2020 70% & Johnnie He NotBoth Phoebe and I have been really touched by the continued support for Lost & Found during these difficult times. To have reached 70% is a real milestone. Your generosity is hugely appreciated! During these weeks of isolation I have found our ongoing - albeit distanced! - collaboration a real source of comfort and inspiration. We've both been working away, there are some treasures in store that…
5th March 2020 Objects Tell StoriesOne of the really exciting things about researching and developing Lost & Found has been the collaborative conversations that have arisen as a result. No more so than at The Blackden Trust! The head of research and archaeology Dr. Tim Campbell-Green and I have whiled away many hours and many cups of tea enthusing about the crossover between Folk Tales motifs and 'found' ritual objects. Shoes, coins…
25th February 2020 60 % and Stealing The MoonI'm so delighted to have reached the 60% mark over the weekend, it feels like such a significant milestone. Both Phoebe and I really appreciate all your support. Please do continue to spread the word and help us bring the book into being.
I'm also delighted to share the results of a wonderful folktales workshop I did with a class of Year 3 children a couple of weeks ago. Stealing The Moon…
16th January 2020 The Power of 3Any hint of January blues have been well and truly banished today - we have just hit the 300 supporters mark! Thank you so much, all of you, for your belief in the book. Phoebe and I do really appreciate it, please do keep on sharing the words and the woodcuts and help us upwards and onwards into the New Year!
300 has always been in my mind as an important milestone. 3 is a magical number -…
4th December 2019 50% and more of Johnnie He NotAnother month, another threshold! I am so delighted to reach the 50% as we go forth into December. Both Phoebe and myself are absolutely thrilled by your support. We wouldn't have got here without your belief in the book and you all, quite literally, spreading the word. Thanks so much.
In celebration I've released some more of the Johnnie He Not story, updated on the Exerpt link on the Project…
20th November 2019 Hagstones, A Sparrow & 40%I continue to be amazed and delighted by the support you are all showing to Phoebe and myself, thank you so much. I've been spending a couple of days field-bound at The Blackden Trust in Cheshire - the educational and creative charity that my parents founded and where the video for Lost & Found was filmed. This is where my love of Folk Tales was nurtured, it's wonderful to have reached the 40% mark…
8th November 2019 An amazing week & more of a story to tell...What an amazing week this has been! I'm so delighted by - and grateful for - the support that's gathering for Lost & Found. There are now twice as many of you as there were on Monday... 200 backers and 34% funded!
It's just wonderful to know that there is such a strong, supportive community out there, cheering myself and Phoebe on. Thank you for showing such faith in the book. Do please continue…
4th November 2019 Another milestone reached & a new reward launched!I was absolutely thrilled to reach the 100 backers milestone over the weekend. It's so encourgaing to have so many of you signed up already, thank you for all your generous support and belief in the project, it's hugely appreciated!
I also have exciting news... As a result of specific requests, we have put together a new featured reward: the Bespoke Bookclub. It's a tailormade evening, where…
31st October 2019 Happy Samhain!Thank you so much to all of you who have pledged so far and shown such generous support for the book. It's so exciting to have got over the 15% mark in the first week. Lovely to know that so many of you want these stories and these woodcarved worlds to make it onto the page. Do please continue to post and share and help Lost & Found become a reality.
It also feels very appropriate to have crossed…
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Do we know how long it will be before we see the finished product? :D
Hi Paul, Lovely to hear from you! Due to the illustrations and printing process we are looking at Spring 2022 publication date. But rest assured Phoebe and I will be keeping in touch and sharing some behind-the-scenes treats along the way...