Billy Beg and His Bull: An Irish Tale [Library Binding]

Ellin Greene (Author), Kimberly Bulcken Root (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up

With magical gifts from the bull his mother had given him, the son of an Irish king manages to prove his bravery and win a princess as his wife.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-A lively retelling of a popular Irish tale found in many anthologies, including Virginia Haviland's Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Ireland (Little, 1961; o.p.). Billy Beg's mother gives him a magical bull calf just before she dies. When his stepmother tries, through guile, to rid herself of the bull and of Billy, the two escape. The bull gives the young man a magical napkin that provides food when unfolded, a stick that turns into a sword, and a belt that makes him invincible. After a series of adventures in which Billy slays giants with multiple heads and saves a damsel from a dragon, he loses a shoe. A la Cinderella, the princess declares that she will marry the man who fits it, and once reunited, the couple "live happy and well from that day to this." The colloquial language patterns convey the folk roots of the story without overwhelming readers with an Irish brogue. The watercolor illustrations are wonderfully energetic and perfect for all the fight scenes. They also manage, through color and details, to express emotion and foreshadowing. The text is a wee bit long for preschoolers, but primary-age children will enjoy hearing and reading this rousing tale.
Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5-8. When his evil stepmother plots against him, Irish prince Billy Beg escapes, thanks to his pet bull. Before he dies, the bull leaves Billy a magic napkin to keep him fed, a magic stick to give him strength, and instructions for making a bull-hide belt to keep the boy from harm. Using the bull's gifts, Billy defeats giants and a dragon to win the hand of a princess. In a Cinderella twist, after the dragon slaying, the princess tears the shoe off Billy's foot as he rides away, then seeks as her husband the man who fits the shoe. Rhythmic and lively in the telling, this tale will entertain children who enjoy folktales of adventure. While not as graceful as the text, the ink-and-watercolor artwork is as expressive and full of action as the tale. Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Library Binding: 1 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823411001
• ISBN-13: 978-0823411009
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,160,412 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars bad beggar's best, November 24, 2000

By 

Isabelle Henderson (Wailuku, HI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Billy Beg and His Bull: An Irish Tale (Library Binding)

Best children's book available: "I got a piece of pie for telling a lie and then I came slithering home." I encountered this story in a Collier's collection in my youth, 45 years ago, and have never forgotten it. A wonderful story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting..very adventureous, March 26, 2000

By 

shyaam subramanian (san jose,california) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Billy Beg and His Bull: An Irish Tale (Library Binding)

Well i love this story because it is much like the cinderella story but it is with a boy this time. It shows his adventures and the friendship between Billy and the bull. It shows that good always prevails over evil. That is why i would really recommend this book to broaden your imagination and creativity.