If you’re looking for a beautiful poetry book to share with your children, The Moon Spun Round is well worth seeking out. This illustrated collection brings the spirit and beauty of W.B. Yeats’s writing to a young audience, pairing his best-loved poems and stories with gorgeous artwork.
About The Moon Spun Round
The Moon Spun Round is edited and introduced by Noreen Doody and illustrated by Shona Shirley MacDonald. It gathers a carefully chosen selection of Yeats’s work, including poems, stories, a letter he wrote as a child, and an account of his daughter Anne’s memories of her own childhood.
Alongside familiar favourites, the collection includes some previously unpublished work. Throughout, it draws on Yeats’s lifelong fascination with magic, fairy lore, place, family and childhood — themes that give the book its mystical, magical tone and make it easy for younger readers to fall into.
What’s Inside the Book
The collection includes a lovely mix of:
- Poetry, including some of Yeats’s most-loved poems
- Stories, including “The Man and His Boots,” about the doubter of Donegal, and “The Wisdom of the King,” about a prince and a grey hawk
- Information about W.B. Yeats and his family
- A letter written by Yeats at age 11
- A story about his daughter, Anne
Among the chosen poems are three real favourites: The Stolen Child, The Lake Isle of Innisfree, and The Song of Wandering Aengus — the poem that gives the book its title, with its famous closing stanza:
“The silver apples of the moon, the golden apples of the sun.”
Each page is beautifully illustrated by Shona Shirley MacDonald, with artwork closely aligned to the poem or story it accompanies.
Our Review
Living in County Galway, not far from Coole Park — where Lady Gregory once hosted writers, playwrights and poets, Yeats among them — our reviewer came to this book with a real fondness for the poet and his work already in place.
The Moon Spun Round is a beautiful hardcover book, and the selection of poems and stories inside makes it a genuine pleasure to read aloud or dip into with children. The illustrations add real warmth and magic to each piece, drawing young readers further into Yeats’s world.
This is a lovely gift book for any age, not just children. It’s the kind of book families come back to again and again — one to have and to cherish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote The Moon Spun Round?
The book features the poems, stories and writing of W.B. Yeats. It is edited and introduced by Noreen Doody, with illustrations by Shona Shirley MacDonald.
What poems and stories are included?
The collection includes well-known poems such as The Stolen Child, The Lake Isle of Innisfree and The Song of Wandering Aengus, alongside stories like “The Man and His Boots” and “The Wisdom of the King,” plus family letters and memories.
Is The Moon Spun Round suitable for young children?
The book is designed to introduce Yeats’s poetry and stories to a young audience, with illustrations that help bring the writing to life. It also works well as a gift book for readers of any age.
Is this a good gift book?
Yes — its hardcover format and rich illustrations make it a lovely keepsake as well as a book to read and enjoy together.
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