Children’s books
Set in a distant past when Vikings wore horned helmets and were generally scary, Young Leif daydreams about being a great hero.
But as youngest in the family the dirtiest chores fall to him. When a bearded pedlar comes to the village to sell his wares he’s welcomed by everyone — except Leif who feels there’s something dodgy about the old guy, especially with the name Quickfingers. Narrated by Leif, this is a laugh-aloud fun for age 8+
The second in the Shiverton Hall series again leans heavily on a variety of narratives from the distant past as back-filling, but the tale centres around the exploits of Arthur Bannister in this most spooky of schools. Friends George, Penny, and Xanthe are deeply suspicious of new art-teacher Mr Cornwall, and go out of their way to hassle him at every opportunity.
Most disturbing for the students is Professor Long-Pitt whose beady eye is constantly trained on their activities, while the resident bullies, the Forge triplets, are a constant menace. The stories, past and present, come together in an exciting conclusion, with the hint of a third volume to come
This is surely one of the brightest and most eye-catching of the An Gum publications, featuring attractive illustrations, photos, and memorabilia. It charts the progress of railways in Ireland from the Dublin and Kingstown Railway up to the Luas. For the uninitiated the cross section of a steam engine on p19 reveals the inner workings of what was an iconic part of the rural landscape. The wonderful Lartigue railway is featured, as are explanations of gradients and push-pull modern locomotives. The map of the Irish rail system on p43, when compared with today’s system, is a poignant reminder of what we have lost. Many accidents and derailments are featured, including a picture of a locomotive suspended over Harcourt St in 1900. The scrapbook format adds atmosphere to a very informative volume. 12+
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