Irish Alphabet

by Rickey Pittman, Connie McLennan (Artist)

Overview

A is for the Aran Islands, E is for Erin, and T is for the three colors in this charming illustrated ABC book for young readers. Irish terms and history are covered in the rhyming stanzas, and a glossary provides pronunciations and additional information.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781589807457
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	01/18/2011
Series:	ABC Series
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,044,969
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Rickey E. Pittman, 1998 Grand Prize winner of the prestigious Ernest Hemingway Short Story Competition, is an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Camp Thomas McGuire, in West Monroe, Louisiana. He is also a Civil War re-enactor, a public speaker on issues and topics related to the War Between the States, and a musician who travels and performs original and Civil War period music. Pittman lives with his wife in Bastrop, Louisiana, where he teaches
English at Bastrop High School and freshman composition at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He is a proud father and grandfather.


Connie McLennan is a member of the San Francisco Society of Illustrators and the Picture Book Artists Association. She graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in art. She lives with her husband in Rocklin, where she works as a freelance artist.

Editorial Reviews

From the Aran Islands to Zozimus (a 19th-century street poet), Pittman and McLennan (Scottish Alphabet) roll through centuries of Irish history and legend in this spirited and ambitious abecedary. The rhyming text—one four-line verse per page/letter—provides an upbeat pace and rhythm, but it may prove a challenge for readers unfamiliar with the subject matter. Pittman frequently references people, places, things, and events that will likely require a bit of research. X, always a test in alphabet books, is a stretch: "There's no letter X in Gaelic,/ Except in borrowed words/ And in the names of Irish towns,/ Like Foxrock and Wexford." McLennan's dramatic paintings in an earthy palette offer a puzzle component: On many pages, letters of the alphabet are illuminated by spot illustrations of something not mentioned in the text (a chalice, eagle, violin, etc.), leaving readers to guess what they are. Better as a jumping-off point for discussion or further exploration than for instruction, this volume nonetheless maintains an inviting cultural vibe. End matter includes a too brief glossary and the lyrics to the folk song "Molly Malone." Up to age 5. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 2–5—An A-to-Z exploration of Irish culture, religion, folklore, and history. "C is for the Celtic Cross/You find in cemeteries./Created by St. Patrick/As a mark for Christian sanctuaries." A one- or two-page illustration depicts the reference and the individual letter; for example, the "K" page mentions several counties that begin with that letter as well as Castle Kilkenny, where many people were imprisoned by the British. Back matter includes a list of Ireland's 32 counties and the lyrics to "Molly Malone." This is a visually stunning book, and McLennan's illustrations are varied, from the cartoonish leprechauns to a stained-glasslike depiction of St. Patrick. There are references to Finn MacCool, James Joyce, and the faerie Dullahan, but expect to answer many questions about terms such as "colleens," "uilleann pipes," and "gleeman." Not a simple alphabet book, this title is meant to be shared as part of a cultural discussion. Younger children may find Eve Bunting's S Is for Shamrock (Sleeping Bear, 2007) more accessible.—C. J. Connor, Campbell County Public Library, Cold Spring, KY

School Library Journal

This luck-of-the-Irish alphabet book cites Irish legends and symbols with intertwined one-stanza poems. Each one-page entry features tidbits of Irish culture and lore. "B is for the Blarney Stone / And for great Brian Boru. / Beware the piercing banshee's cry is / Or else she'll come for you"; "Q is for the Irish pirate queen; / Grace O'Malley was her name. / She captured many English ships, / And their treasures she did claim." (Inexplicably, pirate queen Grace O'Malley is pictured on dry land next to a castle and holding a broadsword; there's not a hint of a seafarer about the picture.) Some letters are stretches, as with most alphabet books: T is for the three colors on the Irish flag; U is for uilleann pipes; Gaelic has no letter X, except in names of Irish towns like Foxrock. And one has to wonder how many children in the book's audience will care about "J is for James Joyce." The format is typical, with color illustrations staging each ornately embellished capital letter and a few double-page spreads. One page of back matter provides a two-word glossary, a list of the 32 Irish counties and the lyrics to the song "Molly Malone." The device works tolerably but more contextualization and greater sensitivity to the audience level would have made the book more useful. (Picture book. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews