’The Lass and The Quine’ Poem Published as Children’s Book
‘The Lass and The Quine’, an original poem by Ashley Douglas which features as part of our Scots Poetry Collection for primary schools, has been expanded into an illustrated storybook for children.
The poem, a ballad which inverted the narrative of traditional fairy tales, follows the love story of a girl and a princess, and supports pupils to learn about diverse family types and healthy relationships.
‘The Lass and The Quine’ was a bespoke commission originally published in our Scots Poetry Collection, a resource for teachers featuring original Scots poetry from Ashley Douglas, Mae Diansangu, Shane Strachan, and Thomas Clark.
The popular collection has been used by primary schools across Scotland to diversify the themes learners explore when they engage with Scots poetry, including diverse families, challenging homophobic language, and addressing gender stereotypes.
‘The Lass and The Quine’ has now been expanded into a full children’s book, authored by Ashley Douglas and published by Tippermuir Books. It will be formally launched at an event in Edinburgh this summer.
"The story concerns ‘a lass and a quine whae are awfie different in ivery wey, but whae faw heid ower heels in luve – meetin a wheen animals o the forest alang the wey!’ It has a timeless feel, but what makes it so special is that the love story is one between a girl and a princess, not a girl and a prince."
It is the first LGBT-inclusive children’s book published in the Scots language.
The story is based on the original poem and builds on the modern fairy tale format in a clever and enjoyable way.
We are supporting the launch of ‘The Lass and The Quine’ by sponsoring an educational workshop delivered by Ashley Douglas and Kate Osmond at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August.
Find our Scots Poetry Collection and more primary resources on our Primary page. More information for teachers on the National Approach to delivering LGBT Inclusive Education is available on our Teachers page.
‘The Lass and The Quine’ is available via Tippermuir Books (ISBN 9781913836443).
