Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure [Hardcover]

Robert D. San Souci (Author), Sally Wern Comport (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1999

Margaret has a brave heart. She dreams of adventure and longs to travel to distant lands, so when a tall ship appears in the harbor, headed north to the Kingdoms of the Cold, Margaret won't be left behind.

But adventures are perilous things. Soon Margaret must face a ferocious sea serpent and even worse dangers. And she must discover the truth about an old woman with strange powers and mysterious plans, or she'll never find a way to bring herself and her true love safely home.

Acclaimed author Robert D. San Souci spins a tale of magic, battles, and romance in this traditional Irish story of a young woman whose courage astonishes her enemies -- and even herself.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Copper-haired, fair-skinned Margaret strikes a blow for womankind in this high-spirited tale set in ancient Ireland. Margaret is content to run her small farm in County Donegal until the day a magnificent ship, captained by young Prince Simon, anchors nearby. Simon stirs Margaret's heart and her sense of adventure and she pleads to accompany him on his journey. He agrees, but a battle with a sea serpent sends Margaret ashore alone, where she takes refuge with an old hag during a storm. Margaret soon learns that her hostess is a sorceress who will not allow her to reunite with Simon until the young woman slays a monster. San Souci's adaptation of a traditional West Irish tale races along at fever pitch, bringing Margaret to the brink of disaster again and again. He carefully integrates magical elements into the action and also challenges young readers with a sprinkling of words authentic to the time and place (byre, kine, maw). In her picture book debut, Comport uses dark and rugged pastels and varying perspective to capture the drama of Margaret's adventures. Her vivid, crashing waves, rearing horses and bellowing monsters enhance this exciting read. Ages 5-10.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3 A quintessential hero tale with a feminist twist. Beautiful and courageous Margaret meets a handsome prince, Simon, and joins his seafaring crew. After she is separated from the ship, she defeats a sea serpent and is washed ashore to a witch's hut where a magic sword hangs. Rediscovered by Simon, Margaret prepares to leave but the old woman imprisons them with her sorceress's powers and demands the death of the giant at a nearby castle in return for their release. Simon fights and loses his life. Upon learning that she is the intended champion of the enchanted sword, Margaret faces the giant and wins. When the hag regains the castle, a magic potion restores her youth and Simon's life. All live happily ever after. An author's note credits this rousing adventure to a Gaelic source published in 1893, but contemporary readers will delight in the action, plot twists, and the familiar character types. The telling is tightly tailored and sometimes even terse; the dialogue is declarative and occasionally stilted. But the events that unfold are thrilling and ultimately satisfying. Done in vivid, fiery colors, flashier than those usually associated with traditional folklore, the full-page pastel illustrations give the overall effect of vigor and great drama. A surefire hit for storytimes, this is just plain good fun for fans of fairy tales and hero quests alike. Carol Ann Wilson, Westfield Memorial Library, NJ
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (February 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689810725
• ISBN-13: 978-0689810725
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,582,309 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rich, wonderful illustrations, December 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure (Hardcover)

A great story, for boys and girls alike, the artwork is rich, and unique. This would make a great gift for a child from quite young to teenagers, or even for adult collectors of great illustration.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for all children!, January 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure (Hardcover)

Brave Margaret is a the classic fairy tale, but with a twist. In Brave Margaret, the hero is Margaret and she must save the Knight in shining armor and slay the dragon. A must have for all parents with girls AND boys. Story is reminiscient of classic greek tales and Aesop fables. The story itself is excellent the artwork is magnificant.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story, Stunning Pictures, Not Just For Kids, January 26, 2007

By 

Scarlet Harlot "Scarlet Harlot" (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure (Hardcover)

This was a book we read in my Children's Lit class while profiling books that featured strong female protagonists and/or stories that feature strong female characters. This book was chosen because it's unique portrayal of a woman saving a knight (not the other way around) in a classic fairy tale/fable. This book really stuck with me (for so many reasons) so I had to go out and buy it.

This Irish folktale features Margaret, a beautiful maiden who lives on a farm on the Irish coast, who's life was changed forever when a man (the captain of a ship and a King of the East) comes to her farm and asks for supplies for his voyage. Margaret who's yearning for a life of adventure agrees, on the condition that she is taken on the ship's journey, to which the King agrees. She works on the ship like the rest of the men, and she proves herself as strong and courageous. As the story progresses, Margaret repeatedly shows her strength and fearless nature, culminating in a fantastic battle with a mythical beast that Margaret must win in order to free herself from the magical curse a strange old woman and save her beloved King (who, if you couldn't figure out, she'd taken a fancy to). Margaret beautifully embodies a beautiful, feminine woman who also can stand up for herself and those she loves.

While this is a children's book, I'd say it's not for young children, not because of the content, but because there is a fair amount of reading in this book. I don't think, for example, my preschool class could sit through this without getting squirmy. However, for those children who love stories or have the ability to sit and listen for a longer story, they're going to love this book. The girls in the class may especially enjoy the unique twist that the King needs saving by a beautiful woman, not a beautiful woman needs to be saved by a King. The girls in our Kindergarten class loved reenacting this story, and it has quickly become a big favorite.

One thing I thing this book offers that I don't think gets enough praise is the spectacular illustrations. This book has, hands down, some of the best illustrations I've ever seen in a children's book. There are some pictures which quite literally glow. One picture in particular (the picture of Margaret on her knees, weeping) caught my breath. The pictures are vivid, hypnotic, and really capture the feeling of faraway lands, mythical beasts, and perfectly capture the mesmerizing beauty of Margaret and her incredible strength. It's not often I find books that visually portray beautiful women not as "girly-girls" but strong, courageous, and very real, without sacrificing her femininity. And I'm sorry, this gal has the most gorgeous hair (though being a bottle redhead, maybe I'm a teensy bit biased... But it's honestly nice to see a non-blonde female heroine/ lead).

The pictures in this book are so beautiful that the story could have been garbage and I'd still have bought it. The illustrations are just that amazing.

This book is wonderful for so many reasons. Beautiful pictures, strong female character, breaking of the typical fairytale/folk tale stereotype of women who need saving from their knight... This book is a can't miss.

Heck, I bought it and I don't even have kids and my husband, who doesn't read children's books, asked this to be a coffee table book so he could see the illustrations. :)