Two new children’s books appeal to young reviewer

By Eabha Kelly

Kapheus Earth (self-published) and Granuale: Queen of Storms (The O’Brien Press).

I read two books recently and will tell you about them. The first was Kapheus Earth, a book by Marguerite Tonery who is from Galway, and I really liked it because it was magical, mystical, brilliant and I couldn’t put it down.

The story is about when a man called Davin comes to stay and he paints a magic mural of a woods on the bedroom wall of his grand-niece, Elisa. A few days later, Elisa discovers the mural is actually a real wood called Kapheus when she spots a robin flying around d in her room. The windos in her room are closed, so she realises the robin came out of the wood painting on her wall.

She and her brother Jamie jump into the mural and meet Jermiah the hedgehog, as well as an oak tree called Grandmother Oak.

Elisa and Jamie also meet Fódla, a dragon, and an elf called Feehul. Together they fight an evil man who wants to take away hope called The Dark One and discover their destiny.

My favourite character was Fodla the baby dragon because she’s fun, cute, amusing and brave. I liked when Elisa and Jamie were in the wood of illusion because it has the most mysterious part – but you’ll have to read the book yourself to find that out!

I also read the book Grainne Mhaol: Queen of Storms, which is a graphic novel by Dave Hendrick and Luca Pizzari.

Young Grainne hears her dad talking about the English. Grainne, who is about 16, protests about not being allowed to sail, so she cuts her hair and makes a speech to the people of Ireland.

A few years later, Graine has her own ship and she attacks a Spanish ship. She comes home to her kids. Grainne sends a ransom note to an English duke saying she will attack England if it doesn’t let Ireland become a free country. Then she has another child, a boy. The queen sees Grainne’s ransom note and hatches a plan. Grainne goes to England and shes put in prison.

She’s set free with her kids some time later.

It was quite good and the pictures were brilliant. The book was about Grainne’s life and I found it very interesting, but sometimes it was hard to follow. Of the two books I read, I did prefer Kapheus and would have no problem recommending that for people between 9 and 13.

My favourite character in Grainne Mhaol was her Dad because he looked after Grainne well. If you are a boy or girl who likes adventure, bravery and comics, then Grainne Mahol is the book for you.

Eabha Kelly (Third Class, Maree National School).