Peter Costello
The Christmas season has always been the time when families buy more books than they do at other times of the year. Here, arranged in something like order of age, are some suggestions from this year’s new offerings.
The Dead Zoo
by Peter Donnelly (Gill Books, €14.99)
This artist’s most amusing books about the president up in the park seem to have run their course. But not to worry. Here is a new offering. Clearly inspired by the wonderful museum beside the Dáil, this tells the tale of Mr Gray who cares for all the stuffed animals. He does not care for people so much, or for small people either. But then his unchanging world is invaded by something even smaller, by a live mouse. How he deals with his little problem reveals a lot about Mr Gray…Wonderful stuff. (I am sure that Nigel Monaghan down on Merrion Square and his ever-patient staff all see the joke.)
The Haunted Lake
by P. J. Lynch (Walker, €14.99)
The artist was born in Belfast and is currently our ‘Laureate nanÓg’. This is a wonderful, folkloric tale (which will seem more real to those who live in Co. Wicklow near Poulaphouca). It is a story of loss and gain. Jacob and his father stay on when their valley is flooded, but then Jacob and Ellen fall in love. Jacob is wafted away by the spirits of the lake, but then one day from the watery depths he sees Ellen’s boat floating above him…can he break out of the waters and reclaim her love? A haunting tale, beautifully imagined and drawn.
Mythical Irish Wonders
by Mark Joyce (Currach Books, €23.99)
This is the second in a series derived from Ireland’s legendary past, retold in words and images for younger readers. The sources of these tales are from ancient texts, often well known to adult readers, but together they form a great introduction of the strange and fantastic ideas of ancient Ireland. Ideal material for the artist to work with, and a joy to read. Mark Joyce is very accomplished, but I had not realised before that he is the owner of Joyce’s Craft Shop in Recess, Co. Galway – a landmark which I imagine many readers will have visited. (This makes him by the way, a very, very remote connection of a certain Mr J. Joyce.)
The Enchanted Lake. Classic Irish Fairy Tales
by Sinead de Valera, illustrated by Alexis Sierra (Currach Books, €22.99)
Madame de Valera was a small gentle figure compared with the imposing personality of her husband. But her gentle nature came across in her tales inspired by Irish folklore, some 30 titles in all, in both Gaelic and English, between the 1940s and 1970s, from the idiom of the people. A veil of Celtic enchantment hangs over her imaginary world, a double gift from the past to a new generation.
What We’ll Build
by Oliver Jeffers (HarperCollins, €16.99)
Oliver Jeffers seems to have been part of Christmas for many years, with his poignant, beautifully created tales. His new book was inspired by the birth of his daughter, and tells of a father’s efforts to build a life together. This is yet another of the artist ‘s books that both children and parents will love. Need one really say more?
Where Snow-Angels Go
Maggie O’Farrell and Daniela Terrazzini (Walker, €16.99)
This is a moving fable of a very sick little girl who in the middle of the night wakes up to encounter her snow-angel, who helps her through a difficult time. Later, when she is well again, she hopes to meet the snow-angel again and to ensure that those she loves have a snow-angels too. This story feeds off, as readers will realise, some of the oldest traditions of Christianity – curious to see them recycled in this way, but quite effective.
The Great Irish Farm Book
by Darragh McCullough and Sally Caulwell (Gill Books, €22.99)
Ireland, before the techno age descended as a deus ex machina, was pre-eminently a farming country. Most children today have grandparents, or even parents who know all about farms because they lived on them. Nowadays most children are urbanised and know little about farms. Darragh McCullough – farmer, journalist and television presenter – set out to remedy this, with a fact-based account of farms, farming and the importance of the land to us all. Want to know where so much of what we eat comes from? This is the books that answers nearly all the questions. I suspect it will teach some adults a thing or two about the respect due to the land we live on…and off.
Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright
Fiona Waters, illustrated by Britta Teckentrup Noisy Crow, €22.99)
This surely must be a book for every family: 365 poems about animals. The title of course comes from William Blake, but the other poems from the classical English poets, as well as a rich array of modern talents, including Ted Hughes, Dick King-Smith and Roger McGough, with earlier poets such as Lewis Carroll, Christina Rossetti and Emily Dickinson. All these, along with wonderful illustrations and fine standards of book production.
The Mysteries of the Universe
by Will Gater (Dorling Kindersley Children’s , €22.99)
Over 200 pages of superbly-illustrated cosmic scenes carries the young reader on a journey through the universe in breath-taking glimpses of natural beauty. This is a book which truly provides an escape from daily round, and of this work-a-day world of ours. Over all excellent value with the well-informed text that we have come to expect from over the decades from the publisher. Some of us still yen, however, in our childish way, for Chesley Bonestell and Willy Ley.
Girl’s Play Too: Inspiring Stories of Irish Sportswomen
by Jacqui Hurley (Merrion Press, €14.99)
Not only do girls play, they also win, as these “inspiring tales” of Irish sportswomen reveal. Aimed at readers between 8-14, and illustrated by five women artists, this seems to be the complete thing. As for winning though, does any child these days still play just for the fun of the game? Or are they all now dedicated to being top, and beating the boys. Alas, for those who can’t, or won’t win, but as I say, might still enjoy playing the game.
Two websites to visit
With much of our shopping now transferred to on-line searches, readers might like to think about two excellent sites. The first is the bookshop of the National Gallery of Ireland (shop@ngi.ie), which has an amazing range of materials and books on art from the scholarly down to art supplies for the young artist, and perhaps not so young artist. Here are truly books to meet every taste.
The other is for those tired of struggling with the websites of so many Irish books suppliers where the same items are on display. Instead try the real exciting and well-selected offerings on the site of John Sandoe Books, of London’s Sloane Square (www.johnsandoe.com), an independent store, where the very knowledgable staff have truly searched to find unusual, but excellently-written books of all kinds. Its delights have to be explored. Their catalogues will also be sent to you by post or email all the year round. Break out of your national boundaries and give it a trial.
Young Adults
Me, Family and the Making of a Footballer
by Jamie Redknapp (Headline, €16.99)
Jamie Redknapp suggests his name may be familiar, but his book is about more than football – it is about family life and the stories of three generations in London’s East End. Most football memoirs are of little real literary value, but this has a real, reeky buzz about it. The glittering game and the famous skills are placed in a more human context. A good read across the family circle at a time when Covid-19 has so badly affected sports of all kinds.
Daily Wisdom: Proverbs from the Irish language
by John Quinn (Veritas, 13.99)
Hot from the press this very day, these proverbs from the Irish language – seanfhocail – hark back to a time when Ireland and its people were predominantly agricultural, poor and Catholic, writes John Quinn.
Though centuries old, they are integral to a sense of culture and are rich in wisdom that remains relevant to this day. The book, which includes a seanfhocal for each day of the year covers such wide-ranging topics as: the farming life, nature and weather, food and drink, wealth and poverty, pastimes and pleasures, health and happiness, the power of God and the Church.
Here is a book focused on faith, which will give pleasure to those who love and speak the Irish language, or are learning it. John Quinn’s anthology is a perfect introduction to the untold riches of the Irish proverb tradition.
Growing Up with Ireland
by Valerie Cox (Hachette Books Ireland, €21.00)
This coming year marks the centenary of the events that led to independence and Ireland taking its place among the nations of the world, according to many. In these 27 recollections gathered from centenarians, from those now old enough to remember, are recollection of that time and the long decades that followed, the good times and the hard times, the pleasures and the pains, the good life for some, ‘American wakes’ for others. This will bring history alive for young adults, showing what life was like when granny’s mother was a little girl.