Basel's Hidden Stories

THE PROJECT:

This innovative book, available in English or German, uses stories based on Basel legends, as well as activities and humorous illustrations, to excite children about Basel’s history and culture. By tracking down some of Basel’s best ghosts and monsters, children engage in a thrilling tour of Basel’s old town. The book will be available in English and German.

I began to truly discover Basel when I taught young children and looked for a way to explain the city, its culture and some of its history in a child-friendly style. When I stumbled on some old legends, I had found the key. Using stories, based in different areas of the city, the children became fascinated and were open to learning more about the city in which they lived. They no longer took the city for granted, and the landmarks triggered stories they never would forget, adding a little magic to their visit.

This 48-page, soft-cover book tells six Basel legends, lovingly illustrated by Jooce Garrett. A short tour follows each story so the kids can follow the stories’ tracks through the old town. We’ve made every effort to make the book not only child-friendly but affordable and fun for adults as well.

We’re asking for support so we can price the book affordably. Your commitment to our project will earn you various rewards and will help us make certain that the book ends up in the hands of as many children as possible.

Author:

Jeanne Darling has worked in education for most of her professional career. Born and educated in the US, she earned a Masters from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. After moving to Basel in 1991, she served as founding director of the former Tiny Tots (now known as Early Learning Association), Basel’s first multi-cultural all-day English program for young children. From 2004 until her retirement she was a preschool teacher at the International School Basel where she began offering groups of children tours of Basel. She has authored numerous articles and presentations on young children and she continues to offer story times for young children in Basel and Riehen.

Illustrator:

Jooce Garrett, a successful London illustrator of the last century with a list of prestigious clients as long as his right arm, has been lured away from his guitar picking and fine art daubs by the exciting prospect of being the designer and illustrator to bring Jeanne’s wonderful stories to life. Jooce lives in Basel, a city he loves, and has recently been accepted as one of its citizens. See more of Jooce Garrett’s work at www.joocegarrett.com.

Rewards:

To order the book in German, click over to the German text.