A local illustrator and classics charity director have teamed up to create a book exploring plants in Greek myths through a brand new story and information book.

Dr Lorna Robinson, director of classics and museum learning education charity The Iris Project based at Cheney School in Oxford, wrote the first in the series Telling Tales in Nature: Underworld Tales after being inspired over the first lockdown to use Greek myths as a way of exploring nature and encouraging appreciation of plants and wildlife.

Each chapter gives some simple information about a particular plant, before retelling the myth surrounding the plant.

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Illustrator Lydia Hall created illustrations for four different stories about plants that appear in Greek Underworld stories, including both botanical illustrations and depictions of characters from the myths around each plant.

Dr Robinson is the founding director of the Iris Project, a charity which runs a range of classics education initiatives in state schools and communities.

She is also the founding director of the Rumble Museum at Cheney School, the first fully accredited museum as part of a school.

Ms Hall is an illustrator and artist based in Oxford. Her socially engaged practice involves working with school groups and local charities, using visual art as a tool of communication and understanding.

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This little book will form part of a wider illustrated series exploring plants in Greek myths through new retellings and information, aimed at both children and adults. "Telling Tales in Nature: Underworld Tales"can be purchased as an ebook and paperback.

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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk

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