Dear Old Donegal [Hardcover]

John O'Brien (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 1996 | Age Level: 5 and up

A rollicking version of a favorite American success story -- that of the poor immigrant boy who makes his fortune in the United States --told in the lyrics of a song first published in 1942 and made popular by Bing Crosby.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 4?A picture-book version of a song written in the 1940s. O'Brien has taken Graham's original lyrics and fleshed out this charming account of a successful immigrant's return to his homeland. The lyrics tell of young Patrick McGuigan, who sails to New York in search of wealth and actually does strike it rich. In his prosperity, he returns home to visit. But the years have clouded his memory and he must rely upon his mother to reintroduce many family members and old friends. Children will love listening to and memorizing the litany of rhyming Irish names as well as singing along with the narrator. Piano notation and guitar chords (not on the endpapers, thank goodness!) are included, as well as notes about the song's origin and history. Through his distinctive illustrations, O'Brien adds personality to the narrator, especially when his young hero sails off alone to an unknown country and during those early lean years. The illustrator's smiling but hollow-eyed characters look like cheerful cousins to characters created by Edward Gorey and Victoria Chess. His pen-and-ink curlicues and pointillistic watercolors go on to reveal almost the whole of Ireland out to welcome their successful compatriot and celebrate his return. Great crowds of these green-clad folks play, sing, and dance their ways back into Patrick's heart and into the hearts of readers, too. Stock up for Saint Patrick's Day!?Jeanne Clancy Watkins, Upper Merion Township Library, King of Prussia, PA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 4^-7. Although it will probably be new to children, adults might remember this song popular during the 1940s. The bouncy tune (music and lyrics appear on both the first and last two-page spreads) tells the story of a poor Irish boy who sails out of Cork and lands in New York, where he makes a success. Then it's a triumphant return to Ireland, where the young man will "shake hands with all of the neighbors / And kiss the colleens all--/ You're as welcome as the flow'rs in May / To dear old Donegal." The rollicking lyric works just fine as a rhyming text and is jauntily illustrated with crosshatch-and-watercolor paintings that feature an Ireland of a different era, where all the citizens wear a touch o' the green. An afterword describes Irish immigration and tells reader that Dear Old Donegal is an example of the sentimentalized notion of the old country that is still popular. A good choice for Saint Patrick's Day story hours. Ilene Cooper

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 8 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (February 16, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395681871
• ISBN-13: 978-0395681879
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,300,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars My Toddler's Favorite at Grandma's, February 14, 2000

By 

Mother in Milwaukee - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dear Old Donegal (Hardcover)

I have a 2 year old who started reading this book with Grandma several months ago. She reads it to him in a sing-song voice that just enthralls him. Some days she'll re-read it 7 or 8 times. If you have irish roots you will enjoy sharing this book with your kids. And I think they'll really enjoy it.