The Folk Keeper

Billingsley, F. (1999). The Folk Keeper. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

ISBN: 0-689-82876-4

Only a boy can be a Folk Keeper. Through cunning and devious behavior Corinna Stonewall changes her name to Corin in order to train and gain the position of Folk Keeper of Rhysbridge Home. Keeping the Folk at bay requires various charms and in depth knowledge of the Folk and their malicious ways. Corinna prides herself at what she does, but worries about growing up and losing the ruse. Mysteriously her hair grows two inches every night. She also has the ability to tell time. 

A dying man visits her and hires her to be the Folk Keeper at his estate called Marblehaugh Park. Excited by this new endeavor Corinna finds more than she bargained for at the now deceased man’s estate. Surrounded by the sea Corinna develops an interesting craving for fish, befriends the deceased man’s son, and learns of the hidden secrets of Marblehaugh Park. 

In grappling with the mysterious of Marblehaugh Park Corinna begins to open up to her true identity and link to the sea. Understanding what she is she must now make the decision to stay the Folk Keeper or relinquish her role in order to embrace the sea.

This coming-of-age tale looks into one girl’s struggle for self-identity. Borrowing from the selkie myth this novel highlights Corinna’s self-denial and self-discovery by figuratively and literally shedding her skin. The Folk Keeper is a dark tale that includes murder, secrets, magic, and love. Corinna’s acknowledgement of her true self is a gripping climax that keeps readers going to the revealing end. 

Cover art link: latrobe
Selkie image: orkneyjar