A new children’s book from O’Brien Press aims to bring William Yeats’ poems to life for children. Find out what our parent reviewer thought of The Moon Spun Round:
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What the Publisher says about The Moon Spun Around
The new book The Moon Spun Round is described as “Bringing the spirit and beauty of Yeats’s writing to a whole new young audience”.
The sumptuously illustrated book, edited by and introduced by Noreen Doody and illustrated by Shona Shirley MacDonald, complements the carefully selected works of W.B. Yeats, which include poems, stories, a letter from childhood, and an account of his daughter Anne’s memories of childhood.
Including unpublished work, this gorgeous book draws on Yeats’s preoccupation with magic, fairy lore, place, family and childhood. A mystical and magical tone that pervades the collection will enthral younger readers.
What our reviewer thought
I live in County Galway not far from Coole Park, where Lady Gregory’s estate lies, one where she entertained many writers, playwrights and poets, including a favourite W. B. Yeats. So I’ve been a little familiar with Yeats and his poetry since moving to this neck of the woods.
This is a beautiful hard cover book. The chosen poems include some of my favourites like The Stolen Child, The Lake Isle of Innisfree and The Song of Wandering Aengus from which comes the famous stanza:
“The silver apples of the moon, the golden apples of the sun”
In the book you will find a mix of
- Poetry
- 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 Anne his daughter.
Each page includes magical illustrations by MacDonald, each of them very beautifully aligned to what they are illustrating.
In my view this would make a very nice gift book for any age, not just kids. It’s a lovely book to have and to cherish.
About the Author: Jill Holtz
