The Little Wild Library: Elder - Review

The Little Wild Library: Elder: Simple things to do with the plants around you.

By: Clare Gogerty

Publication: September 16, 2025 by David & Charles

128 pages

Genre: Non-Fiction, Plants, Nature, Science

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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Goodreads description--A favourite of foragers, the Elder tree is the very essence of summer, with frothy blooms emerging in the late spring and filling the hedges and pathways with a glorious fragrance. As the seasons turn, the elderberry comes into its own, a delicious food for humans and animals alike, bursting with vitality and an excellent source of vitamin c.

In The Little Wild Elder, discover how to make the most of this beautiful tree, with recipes and makes to try throughout the year. Once you’ve found your favourite elder, come back as the seasons change and find new things to do with your foraged treasure – from edible treats to useful tinctures. Beginner-friendly, the elder is the perfect plant for those new to foraging to get to know – with easy-to-follow recipes for favourite makes such as the delicate and romantic elderflower champagne.

Learn how to identify the elder amidst its hedgerow friends from the comprehensive botanical information included, and take this pocket-sized book out on foraging adventures to help spot the elder blossom bursting forth in the spring sunshine – though you’ll be sure to catch its heavenly scent before you see it! As fall arrives, return to your favourite elder and gather the elderberries that shine brightly from its branches. Through the book, learn about the history of the elder, and discover some of the myths, legends, and folklore attached to this beautiful plant.

The perfect beginner's guide to foraging, in a handy pocket-sized format, The Little Wild Elder will reveal the secrets of the hedgerow and inspire those new to foraging to experiment and explore the beautiful plants around them.

I don't know exactly what I was expecting from this book. I was thrown off by the inclusion of folklore. I suppose it was interesting tidbits. Mostly, I'm interested in the elderberry cough syrup. This book didn't include a specific recipe labeled cough syrup. But there were two recipes listed with uses as cough remedies. I wasn't expecting to find elderberry facial balm or elder flower facial steam recipes. But I'm here for them.

I haven't had a chance to use any of these recipes yet, so I can't really include that in my review. We have elderberries planted on our property, and it is now September. Perhaps I will be able to harvest and make something soon. That's one of the reasons I wanted to get this book for review.

I will say that this wasn't formatted very well for my Kindle. It was probably the egalley version that I got. Hopefully, all of that will be cleaned up for the actual Kindle release.

The Little Wild Library: Elder was a quick read. It's easy to reference the recipes listed. I liked that the book wasn't overdone with recipes. Like, this isn't an extensive list of elderberry recipes. I'm giving this a 3.5 Star rating. My rating might increase after I try a recipe or two. The formatting wasn't great, and the folklore included threw me off. Have you read The Little Wild Library: Elder? If so, what did you think? Let me know!