‘Happy Ever After’ by Ted the Dog
Hbk, Ebury Publishing, £17.99
The third and final canine diary from ‘Gone Fishing’ super star Ted the Dog.
‘Whether you have two legs or four, life is never long enough, and it speeds up towards the end. When you reach the final stop sign, you want to know that you took the meatiest chunk you could out of this world. Taste everything – regret nothing.’
As Ted headed into a well-earned retirement, after his stint as a TV legend with Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse, pottering along riverbanks and enjoying the occasional pub, he found that life still had a few adventures for him.
He tested a variety of possibilities, but in the end, he knew that he had lived a marvellous and full life already, time to be happy ever after. If only we could all be a bit more Ted. This limited edition features a sparkly golden pawprint signature.
‘The Ancient Ways’ by Seren Hawley-Plows
Hbk, Bluebird, £16.99
Tales of gods and goddesses shared around a cackling fire. The light of the rising sun streaming through an ancient site on a solstice morning. Hot cider poured over the roots of apple trees to wake them for Spring. Enter a world of untamed landscapes, folklore and connection.
The stories have been gathered and retold by Instagram hedgewitch Seren Hawley-Plows (@hedgerow_healing), who has spent her childhood and adult life travelling from festival to moon gathering in the company of travellers.
She shares her knowledge of herbalism and ancient practices in this gorgeous atmospheric book.
Told through the pagan wheel of the natural year, exploring seasonal changes, taking in solstices, equinoxes, from Imbolc to Beltane through Sahmain to Yule, celebrations and rituals that could deepen connections with the wild world.
Includes illustrations and seasonal recipes – a perfect gift for reconnection as we shift into the darker nights and shorter days.
Both titles are available at the Bridge Bookshops in Port Erin and Ramsey