Books published by Floris Books

Prepare yourself for the wrath of the Norsemen! That is, if you don't mind and it's not too inconvenient... Everyone knows Vikings are ruthless barbarians whose idea of a good time involves pillaging, plundering and feasting. But Thorfinn is no ordinary Viking! He is always polite and happily offers to wash the dirty dishes. Too bad his dad is Harald the Skull-Splitter, Village Chief and the roughest and toughest Viking of them all. The king of Norway is coming to visit Indgar village and Thorfinn is named Head Chef for the greatest feast the village has ever seen. Apparently the king has a taste for exotic fish, but he's also been known to catapult chefs who displease him into the sea! Thorfinn sets sail for Orkney with a ragtag crew to visit his Uncle Rolf and learn how to cook and catch fish. But it seems a poisoner is at large and he has his eyes on the poisson... Thorfinn the Nicest Viking is a funny, illustrated, action-packed new series for young readers who love Horrid Henry and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, set in a world where manners mean nothing and politeness is pointless!

Prepare yourself for the wrath of the Norsemen! That is, if you don't mind and it's not too inconvenient... Everyone knows Vikings are ruthless barbarians whose idea of a good time involves pillaging, plundering and feasting. But Thorfinn is no ordinary Viking! He is always polite and happily offers to wash the dirty dishes. Too bad his dad is Harald the Skull-Splitter, Village Chief and the roughest and toughest Viking of them all. On a raiding voyage to Scotland, Thorfinn and his friends Velda and Oswald are kidnapped by Ranald MacRanald, chieftain of the Clan MacRanald. Little does Ranald he know that his methods of 'torture' (making the Nicest Viking sew with the women and clean the castle from top to bottom) are actually Thorfinn's idea of a brilliant Scottish holiday! Will Chief Harald the Skull-Splitter come to his son's 'rescue' before Thorfinn drives the Rotten Scots crazy with politeness? Thorfinn the Nicest Viking is a funny, illustrated, action-packed new series for young readers who love Horrid Henry and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, set in a world where manners mean nothing and politeness is pointless!

A lovely collection of reflections and contemplations on images from nature, each one connected to a gospel reading.

Addresses all aspects of teaching gardening, including teaching methods, lesson planning for different age groups, and maintaining the garden itself.

Describes a decades-old approach to meditation which stems from western Christianity rather than eastern traditions.

It is the time of the Cold War. Soviet spies are feared, and secrets are traded. People disappear. Thirteen-year-old Alasdair, living in London, knows nothing of this world. He can't wait to start his long summer holiday on the Isle of Skye, away from his mother and aunt. But things don't go quite as planned. On the journey, a stranger gives him a mysterious note before jumping from the train. Worse still, he instantly mistrusts sinister Murdo Beaton, with whom he's staying. Gradually adjusting to crofting life, Alasdair is not prepared for the web of danger and espionage that unfolds around him.

A beautiful collection of thirteen Brothers' Grimm fairy tales including Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.

Hamish and Mirren live in a quiet farmhouse by a beautiful loch in Scotland. Quiet, that is, except for the talking sea urchin, singing sand, hungry fairies, sad bogle and grumpy witch! This delightful collection of stories is a true Scottish children's classic. Moira Miller's characteristic wit and humour shine through, and Mairi Hedderwick's funny, charming illustrations bring gentle Hamish and his canny wife wonderfully to life for younger readers.

Pete has never even heard of Clydebank in Scotland, but when his dad finds a new job at last, Pete finds himself leaving his home in London overnight. There are advantages to his new life, including a massive new bedroom and his first ever garden, complete with a real-life bomb shelter. He'd even be ok with the sound of the girl next door crying all the time -- except that there is no house next door... Pete makes two new friends: Dunny, who knows all about the Second World War, and Beth, the girl next door who somehow seems to come from it. He slowly realises that Beth has returned from the 1940s for a reason. But does Pete have the courage to step into the past to solve a mystery that's over seventy years old? Critically acclaimed children's author Cathy Forde presents a vivid adventure story based on the events of the Clydebank Blitz of 1941.

A funny and lively tale about two of Scotland's best-loved animals -- an endangered black grouse and a wood mouse -- who learn to value their differences.

Prepare yourself for the wrath of the Norsemen! That is, if you don't mind and it's not too inconvenient... Everyone knows Vikings are ruthless barbarians whose idea of a good time involves pillaging, plundering and feasting. But Thorfinn isn't an ordinary Viking! He is always polite and happily offers to wash the dirty dishes. Too bad his dad is Harald the Skull-Splitter, Village Chief and the roughest and toughest Viking of them all. Tired of Thorfinn and his too-nice ways getting them into trouble, his dad decides it's time for Thorfinn to earn his gruesome Viking name. Stuck on a longboat with a ragtag bunch of adventurers who'd like to throw him overboard, how will the Nicest Viking cope with a dangerous voyage to Scotland? Thorfinn the Nicest Viking is a funny, illustrated, action-packed new series for young readers who love Horrid Henry and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, set in a world where manners mean nothing and politeness is pointless!

A scream in the night, a hidden staircase to nowhere and a ghostly face: Dunadd House still has secrets.For over 400 years something has been hidden in old Dunadd House, and as another dangerous winter descends Samuel and the Morton children discover it's not just the cold sending a shiver down their spine: not all their ghosts have been put to rest.Can they unravel the family secret before they're forced to leave their home forever?The bone-chilling sequel to Scottish Children's Book Award winner Chill.

When Yann the centaur is stabbed through the heart by a unicorn horn, the life-threatening injury needs a magical remedy. Helen and her fabled-beast friends unite, with the help of the dragons, to find a magical token with the power to heal him. But they only have until tomorrow night. The friends split into teams: Lee, Helen and Sapphire search for King Arthur's scabbard; Catesby, Lavender and Sylvie search for hidden gems in a cliff face; Rona and Tangaroa wash a flower in seven waterfalls at sunrise. But will they complete their missions in time to save Yann? And with their arch-enemy, the power-crazed Master of the Maze, on the loose once more, danger is never far away. This is the fourth and final book in Lari Don's popular First Aid for Fairies series.

Helen has won a place at a prestigious summer music school in remote north-western Scotland. But as she practises for a concert on Midsummer's Eve, her friends, the fabled beasts, prepare for battle -- in the very forest where the young musicians are staying. When Yann the centaur arrives and warns Helen of impending danger, she is forced to cast her musical ambitions aside. Helen finds herself catapulted into a perilous quest, allied with fantastical creatures against a powerful enemy, the Faery Queen. She finds the mythical island of Tir nan Og, breaks the law and administers first aid to old friends and new . . . but will it be enough to help her friends and save herself? This is the magical sequel to the bestselling First Aid for Fairies and Other Fabled Beasts.

Helen has absolutely no interest in becoming a vet like her mother. So she isn't best pleased when asked to help an injured horse. Only this horse isn't entirely normal . . . and nor are his friends. Without warning, Helen is thrust into an extraordinary world full of magical rituals, fantastical creatures and a dangerous, powerful beast known as the Master, who would destroy it all. Everything hinges on finding the lost Book of Wisdom before the Winter Solstice. Can Helen work out the riddles and help her new friends to make amends for a foolish prank? This is a wonderful mixture of fable and fiction, woven together into an exciting race through Scotland's diverse landscapes, accompanied by an array of creatures from mythology and folklore.

Adaptation of the dramatic traditional Scottish fairy tale. Brave Janet must rescue Tam Linn from the evil Fairy Queen.

One day the little girl made of snow comes to life. But what will happen when the summer comes? A charming version of a classic story beautifully illustrated by Helene Muller with lyrical text suitable for young children.

One day, Will and Lucy's dad just ... vanishes.They have no idea why he's disappeared until a creepy stranger reveals their dad was keeping a BIG secret. Then there's the second clue: an old diary they find hidden in the walls of their Royal Mile house, with a sinister black dagger on it. Will and Lucy must solve a mystery that's over two hundred years old if they want to find their dad and bring him home. But can they find the answers in time to rescue him?

Pregnancy and child birth bring about significant physical changes and challenges. Most parents, however, also have spiritual and philosophical questions which most pregnancy books don't address. Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond covers both the practical and spiritual aspects of having a child. Erika Gradenwitz-Koehler explains how diet, state of mind and the desire for a child can all affect chances of conception. She gives advice for a healthy pregnancy in body, soul and spirit and helps prepare parents for the physical and emotional experience of birthing. Chapters on infant care include advice for nurturing the spirit, as well as discussing feeding and emotional attachment. This is a comprehensive but alternative guide to all aspects of conception, pregnancy, birth and infant care.

Our modern patterns of thinking and learning are all based on observing a world of 'things', which we think of as separate building blocks. This worldview allows us to count and measure objects without their having any innate value; it provides neat definitions and a sense of control over life. However, this approach also sets humans apart from each other, and from nature.In reality, in nature, everything is connected in a fluid, dynamic way. 'Separateness' is an illusion we have created -- and is fast becoming a dangerous delusion infecting how we relate to business, politi, and other key areas of our daily reality.Giles Hutchins argues that the source of our current social, economic and environmental issues springs from the misguided way we see and construct our world. With its roots in ancient wisdom, this insightful book sets out an accesssible, easy to follow exploration of the causes of our current crises, offering ways to rectify these issues at source and then pointing to a way ahead.

An insightful book exploring ancient initiation ceremonies and equivalent spiritual experiences today.

Brothers Greg and Lewis are enjoying a heatwave in the summer holidays -- until Loki, the god of mischief, buries St Andrews in a huge blizzard! Loki is determined to conquer the universe and will stop at NOTHING to get his way.Greg, Lewis and their friend Susie must make a perilous journey to Asgard, the City of the Gods, to foil Loki's evil plan.Luckily, Thor, the god of thunder, has turned up to help them. Unfortunately, he's locked in the boys' garage...The hilarious sequel to The Day the World Went Loki is filled with monsters, mischief and everyone's favourite Norse gods.

Discusses Steiner's view of the nature of language in relation to child development. For Steiner-Waldorf language teachers.

A comprehensive overview of crops and cropping for biodynamic farmers, written by experts in their field.

Phoebe Wyss, an experienced astrologer, here examines all aspects of astrology in the light of the emerging worldview known as archetypal cosmology.She sets out by exploring the classical roots of astrology in sources of wisdom found in the ancient Egyptian mysteries. She then follows the tradition to modern times through C.G. Jung's ideas on the nature of the psyche. She also discovers that the claims of astrology are entirely compatible with new cosmological thinking as envisioned by post-modern physics and chaos theory.In the second part of the book, she proposes that the mathematical basis of astrology and the components of astrological charts are both archetypal and cosmic in scope. She argues that the twelve astrological archetypes make up a single 'cosmic mind', whose patterns are imprinted on all our individual minds.Finally, she exemplifies this radical approach to astrology through an interpretation of the chart of William Blake.