Is there any better book combination of Irish mythology, folklore, and magic? If you are a fan of both, then The Harp of Power is for you! This is a follow up to Dunne’s first book The Book of Secrets following Cat who loves magic and has The Sight.
Erika McGann and Gerry Daly bring us back to Skellig Michael with this addition to the adventures of Puffling, as she comes across a smaller puffling, all by himself and afraid of the dark. Of course Puffling wants to help, and together they go on an adventure across the island, meeting many of the inhabitants. On each occasion they share the reasons they aren’t scared of the dark, but none of this convinces the little puffling, who repeats his fear that ‘it’s too dark in the dark’.
This historical novel sheds light on the plight of child labourers in nineteenth-century Ireland.
‘When there is nothing to eat, it affects everything; that is how important food is’, reflects Maggie who, as a child of a Skibbereen farming family, witnesses first-hand the devastating consequences of the Irish famine in the 1840s.
Molly and Bram are back for a second historical adventure with their gang of friends in Dublin. The short first chapter shows Bram’s life at a bit of a standstill. Not surprisingly, as soon as Molly arrives, the plot quickly moves forward. There’s plenty of hair-raising, exciting moments though only one adult is actually in peril.
Introducing the youngest readers to the tiny creatures that creep, crawl, wriggle and fly all over Ireland, and it does that brilliantly. This is the perfect read for toddlers who enjoy spending happy hours gazing at insects, that, with the possible exception of worms and snails, don’t stay still long enough to be examined. However, this book fulfils the child’s wish to investigate bugs in detail for as long as they wish, while the names clearly printed on each page will encourage the budding entomologist to relate the shape of the word to the creature’s name.
Prince Hugo is determined to find himself a princess, through ‘magic and excitement’ - that is, after all, the only way to get a ‘happily ever after.’ But the beautiful Limerella doesn’t seem at all interested - until the night they finally dance together. When she runs off, leaving behind one sparkling white trainer, Hugo enlists the king’s soldiers to help find her. Unfortunately, they cause more trouble than they should, wreaking havoc across Limerick and its various landmarks. Is there any chance of a happy ending?
How can something so small bring so much wisdom? This is a thought that has occurred to many people when they become a parent, perhaps because no other every-day human experience will teach you so much, so quickly and in ways that you couldn’t possibly have foreseen.
Alex Dunne has created a sense of mystery and suspense in her debut novel, The Book of Secrets. Her descriptive language paints a clear picture of the town of Clonbridge, which comes alive at night when the fairies seamlessly drift into town to prepare for a celebration which coincides with Halloween. Then, night turns to day and with daylight the reader is cast back into the human world where we are introduced to the main character, Cat.
Lovers of the great outdoors rejoice - here is a picture book that truly celebrates all of the wonders of the ecosystems and environments of our world! Billy Conker is an adventurer keen to explore the natural world and protect all of the creatures he comes across. Both fact and story book, this interactive tale invites readers to join Billy as he traverses the world. Beginning in Billy’s own back garden, Billy sets off to visit oceans, deserts, mountains, rainforests and many other special places.
