The Wishing of Biddy Malone [Hardcover]

Joy Cowley (Author), Christopher Denise (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: P and up

To be sure, Biddy Malone is a singer and a dancer—though her dundering feet fall all over each other and her voice sounds like a rusty gate. Even her brothers’ teasing can’t stop her dancing.

And then one day, Biddy stumbles upon a faerie village, and meets a loveling so beautiful he takes her breath away. And when he asks to hear her three deepest wishes, she tells him every one. But all too soon, she learns that something gained for nothing has no value, and that wishes can only come true if you make them so yourself.

Beloved author Joy Cowley and brilliant illustrator Christopher Denise bring a spirited new heroine to life in this magical tale of light and love.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. This original tale set in Ireland introduces Biddy Malone, a girl better known for her fierce temper than her creaky singing or clumsy dancing, who happens upon a faerie village at dusk. When "a most beautiful boy" tells her to name three wishes, Biddy asks to sing sweetly, dance lightly, and have a loving heart. Back in her village, she finds that none of the gifts has been magically bestowed, but with time and effort, she gains all three and her heart's desire as well. The beautifully cadenced story reads aloud with a musical lilt, and the artwork is infused with rhythm and grace. The acrylic paintings, defined and shaded with charcoal and rich with deep colors, sensitively contrast Biddy's two worlds. Attentive listeners will hear the gentle moral as well as the plot: Biddy values her achievements more because she has worked to attain them. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Reads aloud with a musical lilt . . . infused with rhythm and grace. -- Booklist --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (January 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399234047
• ISBN-13: 978-0399234040
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #699,889 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All around great book, January 14, 2007

By 

Maria Beadnell "gotlips" (NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wishing of Biddy Malone (Paperback)

A story of achievement through hard work without bonking you on the head with it, a believable heroine, an encounter with fairies that somehow seems possible, perfectly matched illustrations. Matter of fact enough even to appeal to boys in a read-aloud (even though it's about a girl who wants to sing and dance beautifully, it's also a subtle tale about ignoring bullies if you want to reach your goal).

I should say at this point that I am an unabashed Joy Cowley fan. Whatever style she chooses to use (straight non-fic as in Red-Eyed Tree Frog, neo fairy tale as here) she completely immerses herself.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Irish Tale, March 17, 2006

By 

Camille "at the BookMoot!" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Wishing of Biddy Malone (Hardcover)

Biddy Malone has a fearsome temper. She loves to sing and dance but has no patience for the mistakes she makes or her brothers, who tease her.

One evening, "it was the soft hour between day and night," Biddy stumbles into the land of faerie. The music and dancing are wonderful and Biddy meets the most beautiful boy she has ever seen. When he offers her three wishes she asks for the ability to sing, to dance and for a loving heart to soothe her temper. Biddy returns to her world where she discovers two months have passed. Initially, her wishes do not seem to be working but she practices every day and her singing and dancing improve. Once the fairies get hold of your heart though it is hard to move on though and Biddy must find her way back to the love of her life.

This is an interesting folk tale without a tidy ending. Are our abilities the result of talent and gifts or the result of hard work and practice?

Christopher Denise has filled with book with glowing images. His colors are in the tradition of N.C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish and Howard Pyle. I realized I knew his artwork from the Redwall books, The Great Redwall Feast and A Redwall Winter's Tale.

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical, January 4, 2011

By 

J. Cowan - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Wishing of Biddy Malone (Hardcover)

Charming story that starts with a character frustrated and ends with her happy, and proud of herself for the work it took to get there. Lovely illustrations. One of my 9-year-old's favorites; I even gave it as a gift to a grown-up girlfriend since it speaks to our conversations over the years about getting to that state of happiness.