A Storytelling of Ravens

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“A charming tribute to the quirkiness of collective nouns … puns and wordplay abound.” — Foreword, starred review 

A sloth of bears, a smack of jellyfish, a nuisance of cats — these are some of the surprising and idiosyncratic names we have for groups of animals. Inspired by the evocative possibilities of collective nouns, also called “terms of venery,” author Kyle Lukoff and illustrator Natalie Nelson have created a picture book full of clever wordplay and delightful illustrations. Each spread features a nugget of a story using a particular term, which is accompanied by a collage illustration that serves as the visual punch line.

But where did these unusual names come from? Many of them can be traced back to a book on hunting, hawking and heraldry, printed in 1486 — the Book of St. Albans, which has been reproduced many times since.

A Storytelling of Ravens provides a unique opportunity to explore and rejoice in the oddities of the English language.

“This book riffing on animals’ collective nouns has the declarative force of a George R.R. Martin title and the head-tilting creativity of Gertrude Stein’s Tender Buttons…. Offbeat nonsense humor of the highest order: not to be missed.” —Kirkus starred review

Winner, 2018 Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design