The Miracle Stork by Ronesa Aveela
Ronesa Aveela’s The Christmas Thief was one of my favourite books of 2015, so I was keen to get my hands on The Miracle Stork, an illustrated story about traditions and customs, though the delights of the book extend well beyond its initial premise.
The Miracle Stork is about the spring time tradition of the martenitsi, a tradition that is very popular in Bulgaria and with Bulgarians to this day. But you don’t have to be Bulgarian to enjoy this book and it’s story. Indeed, The Miracle Stork covers the wider concept of celebrating your own customs and embracing who you are.
As well as a delightful story, the book also contains a series of beautiful, colourful illustrations, a section on making the martenitsi and penda, and an activity section for younger readers. This is truly a magical book containing a subtle but important message; more than that it is a book of quality brimming with joy.
Hannah Howe 