Irish Alphabet

by Rickey E. Pittman, Connie McLennan (Illustrator)

Overview

"Ce'ad mi'le fa'ilte." One hundred thousand welcomes from Ireland, a place where Riverdancers dance and uilleann pipes play across the famed forty shades of green. Culture on the Emerald Isle is rich in history, legends, and symbolic reminders of the country's early Celtic roots. Now young readers can explore this magical realm from A to Z.

Beginning in ancient times, symbols of luck (four-leaf clover) and faith (Celtic Cross) established themselves in the Irish culture and have survived for centuries. The country's rich history extends from the Rock of Dunamase and Kilkenny Castle to the legends of St. Patrick and Finn MacCool.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455615094
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	12/21/2022
Series:	ABC Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	1 - 12 Years

About the Author

Rickey E. Pittman, 1998 Grand Prize winner of the prestigious Ernest Hemingway Short Story Competition, is an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Camp Thomas McGuire, in West Monroe, Louisiana. He is also a Civil War re-enactor, a public speaker on issues and topics related to the War Between the States, and a musician who travels and performs original and Civil War period music. Pittman lives with his wife in Bastrop, Louisiana, where he teaches English at Bastrop High School and freshman composition at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He is a proud father and grandfather.

Editorial Reviews

From the Aran Islands to Zozimus (a 19th-century street poet), Pittman and McLennan (Scottish Alphabet) roll through centuries of Irish history and legend in this spirited and ambitious abecedary. The rhyming text—one four-line verse per page/letter—provides an upbeat pace and rhythm, but it may prove a challenge for readers unfamiliar with the subject matter. Pittman frequently references people, places, things, and events that will likely require a bit of research. X, always a test in alphabet books, is a stretch: "There's no letter X in Gaelic,/ Except in borrowed words/ And in the names of Irish towns,/ Like Foxrock and Wexford." McLennan's dramatic paintings in an earthy palette offer a puzzle component: On many pages, letters of the alphabet are illuminated by spot illustrations of something not mentioned in the text (a chalice, eagle, violin, etc.), leaving readers to guess what they are. Better as a jumping-off point for discussion or further exploration than for instruction, this volume nonetheless maintains an inviting cultural vibe. End matter includes a too brief glossary and the lyrics to the folk song "Molly Malone." Up to age 5. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly