Stories with Irish Flavor  Back to Irish Interests 12 Again Sue Corbett    Patrick McBride's mother, Bernadette, disappears on Labor Day, the day before her fortieth birthday. Having left Patrick in charge of his two younger brothers while their father is delivering babies at the hospital, she seeks refuge at her deceased mother's empty house to finish a story for the newspaper's deadline. Thanks to a magical elixir, Irish fairies, and a wish not to be old, however, she wakes up the next morning as a twelve-year-old again. Told in alternating points of view--Patrick's and his mother's--the book is about how Bernadette tries to get back to her life as a forty-year-old mother of three and how Patrick manages to keep his brothers and father together and help rescue his mother. The plot is unique, and the characters are fully drawn. Realistic dialogue and sprinkles of humor add warmth and a sense of normalcy to an otherwise otherworldly tale. The voice of the mother as a twelve-year-old works well, charming this reader who at first wondered whether an adult character with half the chapters from her point of view would work in a novel for young readers. 2002, Dutton Children's Books/Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, $16.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Valerie O. Patterson ISBN: 0-525-46899-4 Beyond the Western Sea: Book One: The Escape from Home Avi    Avi is one of the most popular authors around. That's because he writes an action-packed, cliff-hanging stories that MOVE. The great news for his readers is that this spring he launched a three book series, entitled Beyond the Western Sea beginning with Book One: The Escape from Home. The story starts in 1851, and we follow the lives of three young adults ready to emigrate to America. They include an Irish brother and sister, who are going to join their father. The other major character is a young English lord who is running away from home to escape the cruelty of his brother and the shame of a theft he has committed. All three strong characters find connection and relationship in Liverpool, their port of debarkation. Readers will follow them through a setting that brings alive the period, action that drives the compelling plot, cliff-hangers reminiscent of serials written in the time period of the setting and characters that are downright Dickinsonian. 1996, Orchard, Ages 11 up, $18.95 and $19.99. Reviewer: Susie Wilde ISBN: 0-531-09513-4 ISBN: 0-531-08863-4 Charlie's Story Maeve Fried    Fourteen-year-old Charlie speaks to all of us who have ever suffered from self-doubt, struggled to find our place in the world, or surmounted life's cruelty. Abandoned at age four by her mother in London, Charlie must find her way in an Irish society that bullies her and a father who denies the past. Her story is one of intense emotion, of self-discovery, and of the human fight for survival. With its many layers, powerful introspection, and real characters, Charlie's Story will grab hold of readers, both reluctant and eager. Because of its authentic nature, do note that there is some language more appropriate for young adults aged 14 or older. After the first several pages, however, Charlie's voice draws you in and won't let you go until you've learned some moving and valuable lessons. 1997, Peachtree Publishers, Ages 14 up, $14.95. Reviewer: Leslie Verzi Julian ISBN: 1-56145-167-3 Dancing for Danger Margot Griffin Illustrated by John Burden    Set in 18th century Ireland, where the Roman Catholic Irish were forbidden by law to educate their children, and teachers who refused to obey this unjust law might be "fined, beaten, jailed, deported, or worse," Dancing for Danger tells the story of Meggy, who is "always the first child [at school]." The school is located, first, in a mud bank behind a secret door, later in the deep woods "where the storybooks are stacked"-huge stones that look like books. Based on P. J. Dowling's book, The Hedge Schools of Ireland, the story follows Meggy as she is chosen lookout and warns the schoolmaster and her fellow students with her dancing that soldiers are approaching. John Burden's black-and-white illustrations will help young readers envision the hidden school, the soldiers, the wounded schoolmaster, and finally the villagers' triumph. This book is the first of a projected series to be called "Meggy Tales." 2000, Stoddart Kids, Ages 7 to 10, $6.95. Reviewer: Nancy Tilly ISBN: 0-7737-6136-5 Fair, Brown & Trembling: An Irish Cinderella Story Jude Daly    There was once a widower who had three daughters. The older two, Fair and Brown, would not allow the youngest, Trembling, out of the house because "she was very beautiful, and they were terrified she would marry before they did." But lo and behold, the henwife arrived one Sunday and asked Trembling why she wasn't at church. When Trembling said she had only her old clothes, the henwife put on her cloak of darkness, clipped a piece of fabric from Trembling's old clothes and created a beautiful gown and a pretty pair of shoes. Off she went to church, not once but three times. On the last visit, the Prince of Emania grabbed her slipper. Readers will easily recognize this Cinderella variant. The tone and descriptions will draw the reader into this smoothly written retelling. The crisp stylized figures in medieval garb stand out against the clean backgrounds and the lush green of the countryside, allowing the reader to focus on the marvelous facial expressions. Don't miss the green-with-envy faces of the older sisters when the prince recognizes Trembling. 2000, Farrar Straus and Giroux, $16.00. Ages 6 up. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo ISBN: 0-374-32247-3 Best Books: The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2001 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States Emma and the Ruby Ring Yvonne MacGrory Illustrations by Terry Myler    A sequel to "The Secret of the Ruby Ring," this tale transports readers to 19th century Ireland by a simple twist of the ruby ring. On her eleventh birthday, Emma Martin is forced to stay with family friends instead of spending time with her father. Already upset over spending her birthday alone, she overhears them talking about how self-absorbed and uncaring she is¾and she realizes that they are right. Setting out to prove them wrong, she puts on the magic ruby ring and gives it a twist… and finds herself in a workhouse during the great potato famine in Ireland. She makes friends with two young girls and follows them to Moylough Castle to work as a maid. A great mystery unravels before her, and she is forced to decide between keeping a promise to her newfound friends and helping them, or traveling home. Older readers will enjoy the element of mystery and suspense in the plot, while gathering an accurate characterization of Ireland during the early 19th century. MacGrory has created a compelling plot with a fulfilling resolution, however, the tale is confusing and the writing is distracting at times. Myler's crosshatch drawings are randomly scattered throughout the book and do little to augment the story. Despite the distractions and unanswered questions in the plot, most older readers will enjoy this book. 2002, Milkweed Editions, Ages 9 to 12, $6.95. Reviewer: Christine Amyot ISBN: 1-57131-634-5 Faraway Grandpa   Roberta Karim Illustrated by Ted Rand    When Grandpa starts forgetting that root beer floats need his homemade ice cream, his granddaughter sings "Danny Boy" with him to help him remember what's important. They sing and listen to the song with their hearts and not their ears. In true Irish fashion, Grandpa makes up rhymes, loves shenanigans, and plays with his granddaughter Kathleen every August when she visits. He builds her a doll house and carves two hearts and a tiny swing on the front porch. Then he moves in with his daughter, because he's forgetting too much. Karim injects levity into this emotional subject when the now close Grandpa promises not to pick Mrs. McConacky's marigolds but forgets the gist of the promise and picks Mrs. McC's petunias instead. When the shadowy days happen, Kathleen sings "Danny Boy" with Grandpa, and reminds all with or without Irish blood to listen with their hearts. Faraway Grandpa gives us a glimpse into the spirit of the Irish through Karim's rich melodic text. Although Ted Rand's illustrations are masterful, his grandpa looks closer to Saint Nick than an elderly Irish gentleman. 2004, Henry Holt & Co, $17.00. Ages 4 up. Reviewer: Sue Stefurak (Children's Literature). ISBN: 0-8050-6785-X Flood James Heneghan    When Andy Flynn's mother and stepfather disappear in a flood, his maternal Aunt Mona brings him across the country back to Halifax. Andy knows his father lives there, and rather than live with his grim aunt, he decides to run away to his father's. Andy's father, who smokes and drinks too much, lives in a bare, rundown apartment but he has the gift of gab. Andy is so happy to be reunited, he overlooks his father's shortcomings, such as his inability to clean the apartment, take care of his personal habits and feed Andy proper meals. After three weeks, Aunt Mona arrives and takes an ill Andy to her home. He gradually begins to understand his father and accept his mother's death. Andy doesn't handle all the problems himself, however. He has the aid of the Little People. Heneghan gives the leprechauns brief appearances and they provide well-timed comic relief. He never makes them into caricatures. Andy's maturation happens gradually and realistically. The story flows smoothly with fine interaction between characters. Fantasy and reality are seamlessly interwoven. 2002, Frances Foster Books/Farrar Straus Giroux, $16.00. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo ISBN: 0-374-35057-4 Best Books: The Children's Literature Choice List, 2002 ; Children's Literature; United States State and Provincial Reading Lists: Red Maple Award, 2003 ; Ontario, Canada The Ghost of Grania O'Malley Michael Morpurgo    What do a 13-year old Irish girl with cerebral palsy, her visiting American cousin, the old and crazy man who lives in a shack, a greedy prospector, and the ghost of an infamous pirate queen have in common? It's the "love" of Big Hill on Clare Island. Readers will be drawn into this magical story of perseverance, strength, and common bonds as today's inhabitants of Clare Island join with the pirates, cutthroats, and other ancestors of its past to preserve their future. 1996, Viking, Ages 9 up, $14.99. Reviewer: Mary Sue Preissner ISBN: 0-670-86861-2 Grace the Pirate Kathryn Lansky    Grace is a girl who is not satisfied to sit in the castle and churn butter or do embroidery. An adventuresome Irish girl, Grace longs to sail the high seas with father. He tells Grace exciting stories of his sea voyages and she decides next time his ship sails, she will be on it. This is a delightful chapter book about a strong- willed girl that readers will surely enjoy. 1997, Hyperion Books, Ages 8 to 9, $3.95. Reviewer: Sue Reichard ISBN: 0-7868-1147-1 The Grave James Heneghan    The year is 1974, and Tom Mullen can't stop thinking about the cordoned-off pit by the new school construction site near his home in Liverpool, England. Abandoned by his mother when he was a baby, tossed from foster home to foster home like so much rubbish, Tom feels a strange connection to the heavily guarded pit and its mysteries. One evening he sneaks to the pit and discovers hundreds of ancient coffins. Tom falls into the pit, and when he wakes he finds himself in Ireland, in the year 1847. He connects with a family that possesses eerie resemblances to himself, and together they face the struggles of the Great Potato famine. Tom feels more at ease with his new family than he does with the modern world. He helps them find food and supplies, and suffers as he watches the mother and her son succumb to Irish famine fever, which killed nearly one million people in real life. Eventually Tom realizes that his mission is accomplished, that he must face the problems in his own life. Blending historical fact with fantastic fiction, this novel might stir students to delve more deeply into a horrific past that spurred one and a half million people to emigrate from their mother country. 2000, Frances Foster Books/Farrar Straus and Giroux, $17.00. Ages 12 to 16. Reviewer: Christopher Moning    This historical fiction tale alternates between 1974 England and the late 1840's potato famine in Ireland. Tom Mullen, a teenager conscribed to the foster care system as an infant, has lived most of his thirteen years without benefit of family, love or caring. When excavators unearth hundreds of coffins in a mass grave at his schoolyard, Tom experiences a peculiar pull toward this seemingly bottomless pit of death and decay. He emerges amidst the devastation wrought by the potato blight, his life becoming intertwined with the Monoghan's. Making several journeys through this time travel pit, Tom realizes that there is a greater purpose for these events. The book is well paced, with distinct characters and the ends tied together. The only questionable element is a reference to Mother Teresa. While she was doing her humanitarian work in the 1970s, her mission was not necessarily common knowledge at that particular time. 2000, Farrar Straus and Giroux, Ages 11 to 14, $17.00. Reviewer: Mary Sue Preissner ISBN: 0-374-32765-3 Harp O'Gold Teresa Bateman Illustrated by Jill Weber    Have you ever heard someone say, "Be careful what you wish, because you just might get it?" The hero of this cautionary fairy tale finds out how true this bit of old folk wisdom is. Tom is a wandering Irish minstrel who plucks beautiful music from his travel-worn harp. His audiences applaud and dance with joy to his tunes, but unfortunately have little money to spare. They can afford only to pay Tom with home-cooked meals, modest lodging and heartfelt kindness. After years of barely scraping by, Tom complains to the sky that the life of a minstrel had not been as he hoped it would be. His dream had been to play for the rich and powerful of the land. He imagined that they in return would fill his cap with pieces of gold. At that very moment, Sean O'Dell mysteriously appears out of nowhere. The odd little man offers Tom a shining harp of gold, along with the chance to latch onto the life of his dreams. Tom trades in his old harp for the new. But how will Tom cope with the unexpected results of his choice? The charming acrylic paintings that grace the pages help bring a touch of humor to the rather somber text. Readers of any age will find a well-told tale and a thought-provoking message between the covers of this picture book. 2001, Holiday House, $16.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Dianne Ochiltree ISBN: 0-823-41523-6 Best Books: The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2002 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2002 ; H.W. Wilson; United States In A Blue Velvet Dress Catherine Sefton    While her parents have gone on a working vacation to Scotland, eleven-year-old Jane Reid has been sent to visit her aunt and uncle in her native Ireland. A vacation in the little village would not have been so bad, had not Jane's suitcase of books and her father's bag of clothing been switched. Without access to reading material, the long hours loom ahead boringly. However, when an invisible visitor begins to provide a new volume of classic literature every night while she sleeps, Jane finds intrigue and adventure even in the sleepy town that has neither bookstore nor library. Finding playmates in the huge, rambunctious Smollet family also helps shy Jane to emerge as a creative and supportive friend. Solving the mystery of the books that appear, accompanied by the scent of lavender, provides Jane with another shade of friend that she will never forget. This volume is part of the "Lost Treasures" series. 2002 (orig. 1972), Volo, $4.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Janice DeLong ISBN: 0-7868-1693-7 Land of Promise Joan Lowery Nixon    Fifteen-year-old Rose Carney arrives at Ellis Island from her native Ireland in 1902, leaving behind a mother and two young sisters. She must travel halfway across the continent to Chicago. The father and brothers that she has not seen for several years await her. Rose has her hands full from the moment she arrives, cooking and cleaning for the men, dealing with a full-time job in a shop, adjusting to the ways of a new and different world, and experiencing her first love. To top it all off, she discovers that her father has a serious drinking problem and one brother is involved in Irish revolutionary politics. Joan Lowery Nixon handles her heroine's problems with a sure hand while introducing the well-researched and historically detailed world of a turn-of-the-century immigrant. This is one of the "Ellis Island" series of novels that deal with specific immigrant populations and the problems they faced. If the other stories are as dramatic and absorbing as Rose's, they will succeed in making history come alive to young readers in a way that dry historical texts never can. 2001, Gareth Stevens, $22.60. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: Michele Tremaine ISBN: 0-8368-2812-7 Land of Promise Joan Lowery Nixon    Strong fictional characters can help history come alive for young adults. In this first of a new series of immigrant stories, Ellis Island, Nixon tells the story of 15-year-old Rose Carney who comes to Chicago from Ireland only to discover that her father is an alcoholic, her mother has died at home, and her brother is associated with the Blackhands. Through Rose, readers will meet historic people like Jane Addams and gain a vivid sense of immigrant life. 1994, Bantam, Ages 11 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Susie Wilde ISBN: 0-553-08111-X Lord Kirkle's Money Avi    Avi launched his trilogy, "Beyond the Western Sea," beginning with The Escape from Home which follows the lives of three young adults ready to emigrate to America. A brother and sister, from Ireland are going to join their father and a young English lord, is running away from home to escape the cruelty of his brother and the shame of a theft he's committed. The story continues in Lord Kirkle's Money, where we see the characters struggle to find their ways in America against the backdrop of the Lowell mills and Irish prejudice. Readers follow them through a setting that brings alive the period, and the action is filled with cliff-hangers reminiscent of serials written in the time period of the setting and characters that are downright Dickensian. 1996, Orchard, Ages 12 up, $18.95 and $19.99. Reviewer: Susie Wilde ISBN: 0-531-09520-7 ISBN: 0-531-08870-7 Market Day Eve Bunting Illustrated by Holly Berry    Market Day in Ireland is exciting and wonderful for two friends, Tess and Wee Boy. They share a full range of activities; observing the sale of sheep, goats, and pigs, listening to music by the organ grinder, watching sword swallowing, and viewing a man walking on red-hot coals. Tess has a penny to spend, and she shares what it can buy in this warm tale of friendship. The Irish market is vividly illustrated in folk-art style. 1996, HarperCollins, Ages 4 to 8, $14.95, and $14.89. Reviewer: Leila Toledo ISBN: 0-06-025364-9 ISBN: 0-06-025368-1 Naked Without a Hat   Jeanne Willis    Eighteen-year-old Will is no longer happy living in his mother's home. His mother criticizes him for constantly wearing a knit hat. Her boyfriend, Ray, nags him for playing "Wild Thing"--the only song he knows--over and over on his cherished guitar. Fed up, he decides to move out. He finds a spot in a shared house with three roommates. Rocko is a temperamental artist who has his own lucky hat; he and Will immediately connect. James is oversexed and girl-crazy; he and Will end up working together at the park. Chrissy is the owner of the house; she ends up being a sort of sister-advisor to Will. Life seems to be looking up for Will. He enjoys his new home, he likes his new job, and he's just met a great girl: sixteen-year-old Zara, an Irish gypsy. However, when his mother finds out about this relationship and threatens to expose Will's long-held secret, he just might lose everything he holds most dear. Some readers may be troubled with the speed of Will and Zara's relationship; Will believes he is "in love" with Zara before they even have a date, and he drinks himself blind out of misery when she misses their first date. Later, the young people talk of eloping, but they can't even admit to their closest friends that their "engagement party" is just that. In short, their fantasy of a brilliant home and future seems far from grounded. The story does raise interesting themes of prejudice and identity, but it may not be suitable for all teens. 2003, Delacorte, $15.95. Ages 15 to 18. Reviewer: Heidi Hauser Green (Children's Literature). ISBN: 0-385-73166-3 ISBN: 0-385-90206-9 Nory Ryan's Song Patricia Reilly Giff    As the stench of potatoes rotting in the field assailed their noses, Nory and Granda knew there would not be enough food to last the winter. For generations the Ryan family had lived on the west coast of Ireland eking out a living from the rocky soil. Sister Maggie had gone to America and Da was off fishing hoping to make enough for a passage for all to America. To twelve-year-old Nory fell the burden of keeping the family together. One by one farms fell to the English, neighbors died from hunger, and those that could, abandoned their homes and headed for Galway. Nory vowed to wait for Da and never let the fire go out in the hearth. But when baby brother Patchie and she were forced to eat grass and limpets, Nory knew there had to be another way to get food. Help came from old Anna who told her how to steal eggs from the nest of birds on the dangerous rocky cliffs. Every day was a struggle as Nory chanted her mantra-their sister's address in Brooklyn-and longed for the day her family would again be whole. Based on her own family's history and extensive research of the Great Hunger, Patricia Reilly Giff has written a tender and uplifting story of a remarkable girl who saw hope in spite of tragedy. The writing is as proud, strong, and dignified as the people who suffered through this difficult time. It is the author's gift and tribute to the courageous spirit of the Irish. Nory Ryan is an unforgettable heroine and her story is one to treasure. 2000, Delacorte, Ages 10 to 14, $15.95. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey ISBN: 0-385-32141-4 See You Down the Road   Kim Ablon Whitney.    Bridget Daugherty is a "Traveler," one of a small group of interrelated families who move from place to place pulling a variety of "cons" on the locals before "packing off" to another community. At age 16, Bridget has begun to question the Traveler lifestyle, especially in light of her impending--arranged--marriage to Patrick. Although Bridget likes Patrick and knows that he cares for her, the idea of marrying him is difficult to handle, especially in light of her discomfort over the cons her parents and her brother Jimmy pull on people. Events take a serious turn when Bridget's uncle, Big Jim, catches up with the family and offers Jimmy a chance to take part in a major scam that would put them all on "easy street" for a long time. With Bridget along to keep an eye on Jimmy, they will pose as developers of a residential community in Arizona and sell buyers homes that will never be built. When the police figure out their scam, Bridget is warned and manages to escape, but she is left to her own devices when Patrick, Jimmy and Big Jim are arrested. Bridget knows that she has to make a decision: leave the Traveler life once and for all or return to her parents and accept the Traveler life. An interesting read, certainly, in terms of the topic, with an ending that will provide many opportunities for discussion. 2004, Alfred A Knopf, $15.95. Ages 12 to 16. Reviewer: Jean Boreen, Ph.D. (Children's Literature). ISBN: 0-375-82467-7 ISBN: 0-375-92467-1 Best Books: Best Books for Young Adults, 2005; American Library Association YALSA; United States Booklist Book Review Stars, Mar. 15, 2004; United States Editors' Choice, 2004; American Library Association Booklist; United States Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2004 Supplement, 2004; H.W. Wilson; United States Top 10 First Novels for Youth, 2004; Booklist; United States Top 10 Youth Romances, 2004; American Library Association-Booklist; United States Skullcrack Ben Bo    Jonah Ebbers is a surfer dude in the unlikeliest of locations-Mulligan, Ireland. For Jonah, the thrill of surfing takes precedence over everything, especially school attendance. The sport also provides him with a much-needed escape from the trials of his life, primarily from his drunken and abusive father who uses drink to escape a host of personal demons. In a plot with perhaps a few too many twists and coincidences, Jonah encounters a mystic who throws bones in an ancient form of Celtic prophesy. The bones and Jonah's own prescient nature foretell a meeting with the boy's long lost twin sister and a deadly encounter with the unknown Edwin. Edwin turns out to be a huge and murderous hurricane. By rights, none of the pieces of the story should come together, but in an intriguing way, they do producing a book full of excitement, athletics, and mysticism. An easy sell to daredevil young readers. 1998, Lerner Sports, Ages 12 to 16, $14.95. Reviewer: Lois Rubin Gross ISBN: 0-8225-3308-1 SOS Titanic Eve Bunting    Barry O'Neill is leaving his beloved grandparents' home in Ireland to rejoin his parents in America. Although he is traveling first class on the new, unsinkable ocean liner Titanic, he feels more at home with the other Irish passengers sailing steerage. He is especially drawn to Pegeen Flynn, despite her brothers' threats to push him overboard to settle an old score. When the ship strikes an iceberg, his only thoughts are of saving Pegeen. The plot is engrossing, interlaced with details about the Titanic's construction and fateful voyage. 1996, Harcourt Brace, Ages 12 up, $12.00 and $6.00. Reviewer: Dr. Judy Rowen ISBN: 0-15-200271-5 ISBN: 0-15-201305-9 Spying on Miss Muller Eve Bunting    Miss Muller had been everyone's favorite teacher until W.W.II began. Half-German in a Belfast school, the teacher's loss of friends and eventual isolation is upsetting and the change in the girl's attitude to Miss Muller is unsettling. Yet, when fear consumes people, rumors feed on half-truths, and no one is willing to speak out for fear of being labeled "a German lover." Eve Bunting takes a page from her own school life in Ireland by writing this engrossing story. The girls are drawn together by friendship and their desire to help each other through the difficult times. Secrets of all types abound in their personal lives. What makes this story so engaging is that the girl's behavior and concerns are universal and similar to those of youth today. An excellent choice for reading aloud and discussing. 1995, Clarion, Ages 10 to 14, $15.00. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman ISBN: 0-395-69172-9 Spying on Miss Müller Eve Bunting    When the first bombs of World War II fall on Belfast, Northern Ireland, they miss Jessie Drumm's boarding school, but serve to cast suspicion upon Miss Müller, the school's lovely, half-German teacher. Jessie and her best friends turn on their favorite teacher as they seek to learn her dark secret. Inspired by Bunting's own school experiences, Spying on Miss Müller is a readable and humorous-at times moving-account of adolescents trying to deal with each other, their own secrets, and the unaccountable hatred triggered by war. 1995, Clarion, Ages 10 to 14, $15.00. Reviewer: Kathleen Karr ISBN: 0-395-69172-9 A Symphony for the Sheep C. M. Millen Illustrated by Mary Azarian    Millen expresses his celebration of sheep in poetic format. Each part of this four part story has a refrain. With each word you can hear the rhythm and melody of the shearing, spinning, weaving, and knitting. The varied vocabulary will teach young children where wool comes from and how it is made. Azarian's hand-colored woodcut pictures enhance the lovely land of Ireland and the sheep's beauty. Children will enjoy learning about the traditions and culture of Ireland and have fun pointing out the tools like sheers, skeins, spindles, and spinning wheels in the pictures and other tools used to create the finished product-a hand-knit wool sweater. 1996, Houghton Mifflin, Ages 8 up, $14.95. Reviewer: Melinda Medley Sprinkle ISBN: 0-395-76503-X Viking Ships at Sunrise Mary Pope Osborne Illustrated by Sal Murdocca    If you have any familiarity with the "Magic Tree House" series, then this book, number fifteen, will hold no surprises. Annie and Jack have a magical tree house that transports them back in time. On this outing, they head to Ireland where Morgan La Fay has asked them to obtain a special hand written book. The kids have a close call with some Viking raiders, but manage to escape safely home. As with the other adventures, history, customs and culture are woven into the story making the adventure a painless history and geography lesson. 1998, Random, Ages 6 to 9, $3.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot ISBN: 0-679-89061-0 Who is Jesse Flood? Malachy Doyle    Fourteen-year-old Jesse Flood feels alone in the world. His mother has left his alcoholic father, his father has little to say to him, his circle of friends is small to non-existent, and his own sense of self is undefined. Through a series of journal-like entries that include flashbacks to earlier events in his life, we hear the words of a lonely, young boy. The train tunnel plays a key role in the novel, as it defines both the opening and closing scenes, shaping Jesse's personal growth as he reflects upon the experiences he describes. As the novel begins, he runs from his arguing mother and father to find solace in the railman's coffin, a small space in which rail workers hide if caught in the tunnel while a train comes rushing through. He feels trapped in the darkness of life, unable to breathe, simply waiting for the misery to end. At the novel's conclusion, Jesse travels through the same tunnel, this time on a train with the girl of his dreams. In the darkness, he finds the courage to profess his love for her at the top of his lungs. He realizes the only way to get through the tunnel of adolescence is to "stay true to who you really are and not come blinking into the sunlight a carbon copy of all the others . . . To go slightly off the rails. To go a bit haywire." Doyle has created a believable portrait of life in a small town in Northern Ireland. More importantly, he has explored acutely the internal turmoil of adolescents in every land. Jesse is a tender, honest, emotionally convincing character. 2002, Bloomsbury, $14.95. Ages 12 to 16. Reviewer: Wendy Glenn ISBN: 1-582-34776-X Best Books: School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 2002 ; Cahners; United States The Wishing of Biddy Malone   Joy Cowley Illustrated by Christopher Denise    Although Biddy Malone loves to sing and dance, "her singing was like a rusty gate...and...her great dundering feet fell over each other." She also has a dreadful temper. In this lengthy original fairy tale, one day at twilight Biddy comes upon a faerie village. There a "loveling," a beautiful boy who offers her three wishes. She asks to be able to sing sweetly, dance lightly, and have a loving heart. After what she thinks is a night of dancing, she returns home having been away two months. Her wishes do not seem to have been granted, but as she works on them her voice, dancing, and temper all improve. Still she finds she longs for the loveling. The happy ending is somewhat a surprise, hinted at in the large, detailed, acrylic and charcoal illustrations depicting Biddy's spiritual evolution. With her long black hair and gracefully moving dancer's body, we sense a special destiny. The village settings and associated folk plus the faeries provide a supporting cast for the visual narration. 2004, Philomel/Penguin Young Readers Group, $15.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature). ISBN: 0-399-23404-7 To stay up to date on new books on this topic, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here. Updated 2/28/05