Peter CostelloThe Miracle of the Myrrh
by Marci Alborghetti illustrated by Hervé Blondon
Winslow House International, €13.50/£10.70)
Though not exactly a new book, this illustrated tale of the first Christmas has provided many families with just the right kind of text to read together and to explore the true meaning of Christmas from a Christian point of view, far from the usual Santa and his reindeer sort of thing.
Instead, the author explores the true spirit of giving, the gift of ourselves to others. (Reading this book may also provide an introduction to the author’s many other books, most of them for adults, which readers would be interested in exploring.)
Can’t You Sleep Little Bear? 25th anniversary edition
by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth
(Walker Books, €8.99/£6.99)
This is a special 25th anniversary edition of an established classic which faces up to those fears some young children have of going to sleep in the dark.
It is a warmly reassuring story, ideal for bedtime, of how Big Bear finds a way of lighting up the night for Small Bear.
Those who read this book when it first came out can now read it to their own children. Ulster-born writer Martin Waddell, the author of the delightful Owl Babies, won the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award. He lives in Northern Ireland.
Tin
written and illustrated by Chris Judge
(Andersen Press, €8.00/£6.40)
These are the adventures of Tin, when he and his dog set off to rescue his little sister Nickel, who has accidently been carried away by a balloon over the tops of the houses in the big city. Another charming and exciting tale for the infant reader from the creator of The Great Explorer, with all the thrills of an adventure that ends safely.
Once Upon an Alphabet
by Oliver Jeffers
(Harper Collins Children’s Books, €24.99/£20.00)
Learning the alphabet made fun by the imagination of Ulsterman Oliver Jeffers and his vivid art work. Letters go to work to make up words and stories.
Each letter here has its own story. It is an A-Z of characters, and their odd adventures. The 26 tales open the strange world of letters and so of books themselves. Oliver Jeffers now lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
The Scarecrows’ Wedding
by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffer
(Alison Green Books, €15.99/£12.99)
From the creators of the ever-popular The Gruffalo and Stick Man, the united talents of writer Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffer combine to relate the preparations for the wedding of two scarecrows, Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay.
But another scarecrow, the dastardly Reginald Blake, has plans to ruin their wedding day and almost succeeds. Harry has to become the bold hero before the plot is thwarted and the wedding takes its course. Great fun.
The Christmas Tale of Peter Rabbit
by Emma Thompson
(Warne, €11.50/£9.99)
The stories of Peter Rabbit and other creations by Beatrix Potter were classic books from the start. Here, Emma Thompson revives the little rabbit in a charming tale, which quite captures the gentle humour, but sharp observation, of Miss Potter herself.
Christmas with Auntie May
by Eleanor Gormally and illustrated by Orla Roche
(Veritas, €9.95/£8.10)
Again a popular book, but one which comes in an Irish language version, An Nollaig le hAintín Máirín, translated by Pádraig Ó Maille. Beautifully illustrated, it is a story about children visiting their Auntie Mary one snowy Christmas Eve. The snowfall is too heavy for them to go home, so they spend the night with Auntie Mary as she tells them the story of the Nativity.
“This is a story,” Auntie Mary begins in a hushed and low voice, “about a woman called Mary, a man called Joseph and a little baby who was about to be born … And it all began on that special night… fadó fadó.” Just the right tone. Eleanor Gormally lives in Co. Limerick with her husband and daughter. She is also the author of The Little Flower Bulb, The Little One Asks and Bernadette and the Lady of Lourdes, all published by Veritas.
Tales of Irish Enchantment
by Patricia Lynch, illustrated by Sara Baker
(Mercier Press, €9.99/£7.92)
Another classic by a much loved Irish writer, renewed with illustrations by Cork illustrator Sara Baker, who won a competition to illustrate this book.
When this book was first published in 1952 by Clonmore and Reynolds, it was decorated rather than illustrated. The emphasis was on the traditional narrative, which echoed the ancient story-telling skills of the seanchaí. A reader of that edition has remarked to me that this edition moves the interest to the pictures, and perhaps takes away from the immediate power of the stories themselves. She may well be right, but Patricia Lynch’s own enchantment still survives the new dress put over the stories.
Brilliant
by Roddy Doyle
(Macmillan Children’s Books, €13.99/£10.99)
This is a book which manages to deal with a serious theme in a fantastic way. When they hear from their Granny that their Uncle Ben is haunted by “the Black Dog”, the two children set out to hunt him down and save their uncle. This they do with the help of magic animals and other children.
This is a story for the maturing reader; one which deploys many of the skills that author Roddy Doyle (right) must have had as a teacher.
Moone Boy
by Chris O’Dowd and Nick Vincent Murphy
(Macmillan’s Children’s Books, €13.99/£10.99)
In this spin-off from the successful TV series, Chris O’Dowd collaborates with friend and screenwriter Nick Vincent Murphy to create one of the most amusing books in some time.
One wonders how they find the time with all the work they both do in film television and theatre, but here it is, the ultimate imaginary friend book. Or rather imaginary friends, as Martin Moone’s problem is that he has two of them, the daft Loupy Lou, and the more supportive Sean ‘Caution’ Murphy, who is wise to the ways of both the playground and the wider world, a solid man indeed if he were not invisible.
The DVDs of the first and second series are also available as a boxed set (€17.00/£13.50).
Best Loved Poems from the West of Ireland
ed. Thomas F. Walsh, photographs by Liam Lyons
(Currach Press, €19.99/£16.99)
This wonderful collaboration between Thomas F. Walsh and Liam Lyons brings together a beautiful book which combines approximately 60 poems that can be attributed to the West of Ireland, and some wonderful images to accompany each piece.
They are largely childhood poems, of the kind learned in school and then half forgotten, but will bring back fond memories for anyone who grew up there. For younger readers of today this is an ideal anthology.
Among the 30 poets whose works, in both English and Irish, are included are W.B. Yeats, Katherine Tynan, Máirtín Ó Díreáin, Ella Young and Douglas Hyde. Other poets, such Derek Mahon and Thomas Davis, not always associated with the West, but who were moved to verse by those wild acres and their hardy people, are added in for good measure. A biographical note is provided on each poet.
But this book depends too on the poetry of the photographs, which capture aspects of the scenery and the people in an evocative way. Places such as Croagh Patrick, Ashleigh Falls, Clew Bay and Inish Shark are among the spectacular and beautiful locations that are included.
All profits from the sale of the book go directly to the Westport-Aror Partnership in Kenya.