This collection of seven spellbinding Irish folk tales deserves to be read aloud at every hearth. Larger-than-life characters, dramatic plot twists and a healthy dose of magical enchantment will keep readers absorbed for many happy hours. Includes glossary and pronunciation key for Irish terms.Tales from Old Ireland contains seven classic stories, beautifully retold by Malachy Doyle in 90 big pages. Some of the tales will be instantly familiar: “Fair, Brown, and Trembling,” for example, is a straightforward version of the Cinderella story right down to the lost shoe. Others are much less well known, like the tale of the fisherman, Jack Doherty, who always wanted to meet a Merrow (a man who lives beneath the sea). Niamh Sharkey’s delightfully quirky illustrations (also seen in Jack and the Beanstalk and The Gigantic Turnip) are simple and striking; a few take up a full page, and smaller ones are scattered throughout the text. While culturally specific (and complete with a pronunciation guide for names and a few unusual words), Tales of Old Ireland has universal appeal and should occupy shelf-space in every child’s imagination. (Ages 5 and older) –Richard Farr