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The Seal Mother
A seal sheds her skin and becomes a beautiful woman, but even after marrying and bearing a son she longs to return to her seal family in the sea.
Hardcover
First published October 30, 1986
166 people want to read
About the author
Mordicai Gerstein
101 books72 followersMordicai Gerstein was an American artist, writer, and film director, best known for illustrating and writing children's books. He illustrated the comic mystery fiction series Something Queer is Going On.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 18, 2016
Slightly elaborated version of the story where the fisherman steals the selkie's coat and forces her to marry him.
Main differences: the selkie is not voiceless and pleads with the man to let her go. He refuses but promises if she is still unhappy he'll free her in seven years. No surprise,
More positively, when the mother
Main differences: the selkie is not voiceless and pleads with the man to let her go. He refuses but promises if she is still unhappy he'll free her in seven years. No surprise,
More positively, when the mother
June 21, 2019
In this lovely adaptation of a Scottish folktale, a young fisherman spies a beautiful selkie maiden one moonlit Midsummer's Eve night, and, stealing her seal-skin while she is in human form, and dancing on the rocks, insists that she marry him. Agreeing, but only when he promises to free her after seven years, the selkie maiden becomes a wife, and eventually, a mother. But her longing for the sea is unabating, and when, the seven years having passed, her husband refuses to honor his word, she is inconsolable. It falls to her young son, Andrew, terrified of losing his mother, but determined to comfort her in her grief, to find her sealskin, and restore her to freedom...
Lyrically told, and beautifully illustrated, The Seal Mother takes the well-known story of The Seal Wife, and focuses on the bond between mother and son, rather than wife and husband. This astute choice adds particular poignancy to the tale, giving Andrew's actions, in freeing his mother, despite his own fears, and his sense of loss, greater depth of meaning. His reward, and the reward given to his descendents, is all the more precious, for being bought with such self-sacrifice. The artwork, done in watercolor and gouache, is just as appealing as the narrative, with a palette that evokes the sea, and an occasional pointillist quality (particularly in the depiction of the ocean) that add to the sense of enchantment. All in all, an outstanding picture-book (I think I need to track down my own copy!), one I recommend to all who enjoys selkie stories.
Lyrically told, and beautifully illustrated, The Seal Mother takes the well-known story of The Seal Wife, and focuses on the bond between mother and son, rather than wife and husband. This astute choice adds particular poignancy to the tale, giving Andrew's actions, in freeing his mother, despite his own fears, and his sense of loss, greater depth of meaning. His reward, and the reward given to his descendents, is all the more precious, for being bought with such self-sacrifice. The artwork, done in watercolor and gouache, is just as appealing as the narrative, with a palette that evokes the sea, and an occasional pointillist quality (particularly in the depiction of the ocean) that add to the sense of enchantment. All in all, an outstanding picture-book (I think I need to track down my own copy!), one I recommend to all who enjoys selkie stories.
April 17, 2013
One of my goals is to not let my students graduate 5th grade without having been exposed to the wonderful myths of different cultures. This year, I've read lots of stories about leprechauns, Golems, Pookahs, fairies, Anansi, and many others. I realized last week while reading The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley, that I wanted my students to know about Selkies. I'm ashamed to say that I had never even heard of them before I was in college, so I set out to find the perfect Selkie book.
This one is the winner by far. The story is told very simply by a charming old man playing a fiddle on a wave -beaten rock. The illustrations are beautiful and belong with the text. The selkie is fully clothed under her sealskin which takes away any awkward questions or giggles that would interrupt the flow of the story. The student sat in silent attention, which is unusual. Usually a few are reading their own books or whispering to each other. That wasn't the case while I was reading this one. They were really sucked into the story.
To sum it up, I love this book and I'll definitely be reading it to future 3rd grade classes.
This one is the winner by far. The story is told very simply by a charming old man playing a fiddle on a wave -beaten rock. The illustrations are beautiful and belong with the text. The selkie is fully clothed under her sealskin which takes away any awkward questions or giggles that would interrupt the flow of the story. The student sat in silent attention, which is unusual. Usually a few are reading their own books or whispering to each other. That wasn't the case while I was reading this one. They were really sucked into the story.
To sum it up, I love this book and I'll definitely be reading it to future 3rd grade classes.
November 24, 2020
Wonderful art. I love stories about selkies, so this was a fun one to find. However, why is it that men are always so problematic in regard to selkies? He forces her to marry him and they have a child barely a year later. Then he goes back on his promise to return her skin because he doesn't want to "risk leaving our son without a mother." He's the one who forced her into being a mother! And then later she says he's a good man. Hah! Most selkie stories have the moral of: don't be a jerk and force magic seal women to marry you.
November 24, 2017
I've been through hell to get this book.
From being scammed and searching through the entire internet to find this book, and now I've finally got it, and it was worth the wait.
the story was whimsical and delightful and the illustrations were fantastic and brilliant. This would have to be one of Gerstein's greatest books ever made, as he does a fantastic job of bringing the magic of Selkies to life.
From being scammed and searching through the entire internet to find this book, and now I've finally got it, and it was worth the wait.
the story was whimsical and delightful and the illustrations were fantastic and brilliant. This would have to be one of Gerstein's greatest books ever made, as he does a fantastic job of bringing the magic of Selkies to life.
May 30, 2018
This is another book I remember from my very early childhood; I had to do some sleuthing to figure out the title and author, but the illustrations stayed in my memory. The selkie story is a sad one, though this book gives it a pretty balanced treatment and makes the ending as hopeful as possible. The pictures really are lovely.
June 25, 2020
Love endures all.
March 6, 2026
A beautifully illustrated, 40 year old gem of a children's book, retelling the classic tale of "The Seal Wife", except focused more on the mother-son relationship.
October 14, 2016
This is one of my all time favourite books I had to note it here although it has been read several times. A beautifully illustrated story of the Selkies, creatures said to be magical. Seals who can become human on certain times of the year when the moon shimmers over the ocean.
It is said that men would often seek out the shed skin of the Selkie, then keep her on land as their wives.
A very old and moving folk tale. Difficult to get an original copy.
I have also contacted the author and he gave me his blessing to publish a version of the tale myself under the same name.
Thank you Mordicai Gerstein
It is said that men would often seek out the shed skin of the Selkie, then keep her on land as their wives.
A very old and moving folk tale. Difficult to get an original copy.
I have also contacted the author and he gave me his blessing to publish a version of the tale myself under the same name.
Thank you Mordicai Gerstein
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October 3, 2016"The Seal Mother" is a folktale about a seal who would become a beautiful woman every Midsummer's Eve and was taken captive by a fisherman. Together they had a son who helped his mother become a seal once again for her to become her true self and join her family. I would incorporate this book with a lesson about folktales and the different kinds of genres.
October 27, 2010
I had never heard of the scottish legend of the selkies and I came across this book at the Salvation Army. The girls loved it and it lead into more research on the legends of Ireland and Scotland. We then found the movie The Secret of Roan Inish.
August 15, 2012
Charming illustrations make this retelling of the traditional selkie story come alive. A refreshing change from the more well-known commercialized picture books. A treat for those who love selkie folktales.
January 28, 2008
this book had a profound impact on my young--3ish--mind: magical and mystical, introducing the world of literature through a picture book
February 7, 2013
A wonderfully sweet retelling of the selkie story.
February 21, 2009
i found this at the library today. it is one of the most beautiful stories i have read.
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June 15, 2011Lovely! If you're intrigued, i definitely recommend it.
March 3, 2012
A seal sheds her skin and becomes a beautiful woman, but even after marrying and bearing a son she longs to return to her seal family in the sea.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews