These books celebrate folk and fairy tales, they might contain an essence or hint of the Brothers Grimm, or be a full on festival of folk tales from history. Where folk tales have been passed along through time and fairy tales contain fantastical elements, they often intertwine. I’ve included non-fiction, short stories, modern takes, and tales from history. One thing that all of these books have in common, is that a slicing edge spears the reader. Horror, fear, and nightmarish acts creep in to keep you company as you read. There is something about an unnamed chill spreading through your thoughts, so wonderfully fascinating and full of thrills that it keeps you glued to the pages while hunkering further down in your chair. Folk and fairy tales continue to entertain and enchant, perhaps with the growth of modern technology has come a need for the beautiful simplicity of the tales from our past. I love that Icelandic planners still have to check that they aren’t disrupting the elves and trolls in their neighbourhoods, they really do feel a deep connection to their natural world.

All of these books revel in the glory of the folk and fairy tale, either with gentle echoes to catch hold of as you pass, or a fully immersive experience that absolutely delights. Welcome to the tradition of the story, welcome to folk and fairy tales.