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the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
As a teacher, I was always looking for new, contemporary, short stories that would grab and hold my students' reading attention, so when I saw this on the library shelf... I grabbed it!
It is an anthology of stories and six poems set in Ireland, compiled by Eoin Colfer, the Irish Laureate na nÓg. He has a short story in the collection, as do other famous authors who will be known to many adults and some kiddos.
Some are excellent, some are scary, some creepy, some are meant to make you think, and others are poignant and moving. I loved the short story by Roddy Doyle, and it fulfilled the "poop" requirement that all MG simply must contain! My son loved the last story, about a boy who saves a feral kitten.
The publisher, Little Island, offers truly excellent teaching guides (called book guides) for many of its other books, but not this one, so I hesitated to include it in my postings For Educators.
However, I'd love to hear from anyone who's taught the short stories and is willing to share their teaching materials with me.
Visit my blog for more book reviews, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
It is an anthology of stories and six poems set in Ireland, compiled by Eoin Colfer, the Irish Laureate na nÓg. He has a short story in the collection, as do other famous authors who will be known to many adults and some kiddos.
Some are excellent, some are scary, some creepy, some are meant to make you think, and others are poignant and moving. I loved the short story by Roddy Doyle, and it fulfilled the "poop" requirement that all MG simply must contain! My son loved the last story, about a boy who saves a feral kitten.
The publisher, Little Island, offers truly excellent teaching guides (called book guides) for many of its other books, but not this one, so I hesitated to include it in my postings For Educators.
However, I'd love to hear from anyone who's taught the short stories and is willing to share their teaching materials with me.
Visit my blog for more book reviews, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
soodleth's review against another edition
4.0
This was a gorgeous book. Each story and poem was filled with illustrations and was firmly set in Ireland. There were stories of modern day Ireland, historical Ireland and mythological Ireland. It’s a children’s book - I’d say best enjoyed from the age of about 8 - but they doesn’t stop one of the stories being bone chilling. That terrifying story aside, The Ram King and Stream Time were probably my favourites.
The Ram King is about a kingdom who fight a huge Battering Ram and hold a celebration for their victory. Well decades pass and no one has seen a Battering Ram so the kingdom becomes lax, all of a sudden a Battering Ram descends on the kingdom and it’s up to one of the knights to fight it off. He is promised the princess’s hand in marriage if he’s successful but the princess isn’t having any of that and sets off after the knight. I have a huge weakness for badass princesses so it’s no wonder I was drawn in by that story.
Stream Time focuses on a woman who has died and been sent downstream in a leaky boat. As the water touches her she gains knowledge (like how to speak English) but whatever part of her body touches the water dissolves. The story floats along the river and through Irish history along with the woman. It’s a peaceful story with an interesting viewpoint.
The illustrations from P. J. Lynch are fabulous and enhance your reading experience
The Ram King is about a kingdom who fight a huge Battering Ram and hold a celebration for their victory. Well decades pass and no one has seen a Battering Ram so the kingdom becomes lax, all of a sudden a Battering Ram descends on the kingdom and it’s up to one of the knights to fight it off. He is promised the princess’s hand in marriage if he’s successful but the princess isn’t having any of that and sets off after the knight. I have a huge weakness for badass princesses so it’s no wonder I was drawn in by that story.
Stream Time focuses on a woman who has died and been sent downstream in a leaky boat. As the water touches her she gains knowledge (like how to speak English) but whatever part of her body touches the water dissolves. The story floats along the river and through Irish history along with the woman. It’s a peaceful story with an interesting viewpoint.
The illustrations from P. J. Lynch are fabulous and enhance your reading experience
wordsofclover's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book from Little Island in exchange for an honest review.
Once Upon a Place is a lovely compilation of short stories and poems made for children in mind, all set in Ireland, about Irish families and people growing up in Ireland and all embrued with some sort of magic that only Ireland deliveries. Some of the magic in this book is from fables and myths, with sparks and wonder - and some of it is the magic of the ordinary, of the peace in a quiet day in the Phoenix Park, and the feeling of being with family.
I really enjoyed the majority of stories in this book - my favourites belonging to John Connolly and Eoin Colfer. I think this is a great book for kids and adults alike, and is also full of some lovely illustrations as well!
Once Upon a Place is a lovely compilation of short stories and poems made for children in mind, all set in Ireland, about Irish families and people growing up in Ireland and all embrued with some sort of magic that only Ireland deliveries. Some of the magic in this book is from fables and myths, with sparks and wonder - and some of it is the magic of the ordinary, of the peace in a quiet day in the Phoenix Park, and the feeling of being with family.
I really enjoyed the majority of stories in this book - my favourites belonging to John Connolly and Eoin Colfer. I think this is a great book for kids and adults alike, and is also full of some lovely illustrations as well!
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