March 1, 2001
Gr 6 Up-Brave heroes, powerful gods, and cunning women match brains and brawn in this collection of three classic Celtic myths retold here, much as they may have been around Irish peat fires of years ago. Listeners will become entranced by "The Tale of Cu Chulainn," "The Children of Lir," and "The Tale of Finn Mac Cool." With excellent narration by Dermot Kerrigan and Marcella Riordan, these tales still have the power to entice the imagination and stir the soul more than 1000 years after they were first told. Both narrators do a fine job of using just the right amount of brogue when pronouncing the multitude of Irish names that would tongue-tie many others. Although part of the Junior Classics Series, there is nothing in the telling that denotes these tales as being intended only for children since the Irish terminology is neither watered down nor explained, leaving listeners to infer the meanings of some words through the content of the story. Orchestral music is the only sound effect used, or needed, to accentuate particularly significant points in the stories. A brief history of Irish storytelling and of these three tales, in particular, is included.-Darlene Ford, Dauphin County Library System, PA
Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.