The Children of Lir (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Gennady Spirin (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The craggy coast of Ireland provides a brooding backdrop for this stirring folktale, reputed to be the genesis of Shakespeare's Lear. After the death of his wife, Aobh, King Lir marries her sister Aiofe, whose beauty "hid an evil heart." Jealous of her husband's love for his four children, Aiofe casts a spell on the youths, turning them into swans "for three times three hundred years," or until the twin mountains bordering the kingdom should come together. In her second book, MacGill-Callahan ( And Still the Turtle Watched ) exhibits an admirable sense of classical fairy-tale style: her prose, studded with poetic imagery and elegant turns of phrase, escalates the story's dramatic impact. Spirin's ( Snow White and Rose Red ) characteristically sumptuous, gilt-flecked paintings accentuate both the material opulence of royalty and the strength and natural beauty of the varied animals who assist the swans and provide the book's joyful conclusion. Lavish double-page spreads are balanced by smaller watercolors set among the text--though the painstaking detail is occasionally difficult to discern in the individual illustrations. A lyrical and compelling narrative, coupled with another triumph of artistry and exquisite design for a consummate craftsman. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3 Up-- This book makes a gorgeous first impression. However, compared to the traditional story of the children of Lyr as retold by Joseph Jacobs ( Celtic Fairy Tales Dover, 1968) or the collection Irish Folktales (Pantheon, 1987), it seems an irresponsible adaptation. The author's assertion that scholars connect this ancient king with Shakespeare's Lear may or may not be accurate, but it is a connection in name only. The folkloric roots of Shakespeare's Lear are found in the story of the princess who loved her father as much as salt. The one noticeable common thread from the play to this book is the king's madness, and it is not found in the traditional tale of Lyr's children. In that story, the king marries his dead wife's sister, who is jealous of his children and turns them into swans. They spend their lives this way until the spell is broken just as, old and withered, their human forms are ready to die. There is spiritual redemption, but no corporeal second chance. In this lavishly illustrated bit of fluff, readers will find the jealous aunt and the transformation into swans, but the children's story is beautified, expurgated, and given an environmental gloss that breaks down. The beasts of the air and the water, led by a jolly whale, join forces to save the four swan children--still young and pretty--and everyone lives happily ever after. Spirin's lush, detailed watercolors, glorious in San Souci's The White Cat (Orchard, 1990), alternate here between narrative miniatures and double-page spreads crowded to the point of confusion. Yes, his whales and gulls and seals and swans are well rendered, but to what purpose? Text is framed in borders of intricate design, creating an illusion of illuminated parchment--a lavish production for so little content. There is a murky "scholarly" addendum that obfuscates the story even further. Don't judge this book by its cover. --Sally Margolis, Deerfield Public Library, IL
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial; 1st edition (March 5, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803711212
• ISBN-13: 978-0803711211
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #887,555 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant illistrations, but unimpressed with this version., August 24, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Hershey, Pennyslvania, USA) - See all my reviews

This book is superb when it comes to the pictures in the book, but I was unimpressed with the way this "Clann Lir" was told. There are many ways to tell the story, but this version seemed far from anything I've ever heard. The children's names are different from the origional names, the events that occur are completely different and so on.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful illustrations to a classic tale!, January 17, 2003

By	AvidReader (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews

I have loved this story since I was a little girl, and wanted to find it for my own daughter. It is such a wonderful tale of love and devotion. I highly reccommend this book for any fairy tale lover!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful pictures, terrible rendition of a beautiful legend., June 24, 2006

By	Boyne Shark (Drogheda, Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Children of Lir (Paperback)

While this book is beautifully presented and decorated with faboulous images the same cannot be said of the content, the legend of The Children of Lír is one of Ireland's most important legends and has been handed down faithfully for countless generations, untill now.
This legend may seem rather harsh for young children and may sometimes be "watered down", stepmothers are nothing new but turning them into horrible flying beasts can be difficult to explain, as can explaining why they are jealous of the children and want to kill them . The true legend goes into great detail about the 4 children, now swans, and their trials and struggles over the 900 years of the curse. The whole point of the legend was that the children couldn't be killed, they were Tuatha De Dannan, their father was a god so they were cursed and there are some things worse than death.
MacGill-Callahan does not even get the names of the children right never mind sticking to the legend, I could understand "watering it down" for younger children but to completely rewrite and still call it the Children of Lír is pushing it. This book should have a large yellow sticker on the front of it saying "BASED ON THE LEGEND OF THE CHILDREN OF LíR" because thats where the similarity ends. If you want beautiful images based on Irish myths and legends see the master, Jim Fitzpatrick, if you want real Irish legends...... see Jim Fitzpatrick for that too, or ask a real Irishman.