Review by Booklist Review
Leprechaun Brian O'Shea enjoys his quiet country life as a shoemaker that is, until big tall human people start moving in nearby, including Sean MacDonald, who is building his home atop Brian's. When leprechaun magic doesn't deter Sean, Brian builds a door beneath Sean's bed, giving Brian access to his abode, which he uses to stealthily and mischievously disrupt Sean's sleep while cobbling at night. But, increasingly, their paths cross in subtle ways Sean leaves food for the presumed under-the-bed cat ; and when Sean faces hard times, gold coins appear. Alas, gold draws the attention of burglars, putting Sean at risk. The peppy, descriptive prose incorporates colloquial speech, while cartoonish watercolor-acrylic illustrations depict characters, events, and settings with playful perspectives and details. The book celebrates friendship and conveys the rewards to be found in generosity toward others. Overall, this mix of magic and humor will delight young readers long past Saint Patty's Day.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The luck o' the Irish-even if it comes from a begrudging leprechaun-is alive and well in Bateman's original folktale set on the Emerald Isle. All is pleasant and peaceful in cobbler/leprechaun Brian O'Shea's underground home, until a man named Sean MacDonald begins building a cottage overhead. Brian conjures headless ghosts and a banshee to stop Sean's encroachment on his turf, to no avail ("It's just like my sainted mother always told me," Sean says. "The land of Ireland is full of magic and surprises"). Brian makes a trap door underneath Sean's bed so he can pop into the cottage unseen, but Sean catches on soon enough, and the two come to an unspoken understanding that serves them both. Bateman (The Christmas Pups) sprinkles her humorous prose with traditional folklore tropes, but the end result feels pleasantly fresh. In his jaunty watercolor and acrylic paintings, Meisel (The Haunted Hamburger and Other Ghostly Stories) captures a timeless countryside dotted with stone walls, thatch roof cottages, and patches of green. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Brian O'Shea loves his solitary life. He has built a home underground where he happily cobbles shoes. When a tall human, Sean McDonald, decides to build a cottage right above his home, the leprechaun is distressed. He tries to scare the intruder away with ghosts, but to no avail. Brian creates a front door under Sean's bed and begins to devise ways to disturb his sleep with hammering and thumping. Whenever Sean seems to move, the leprechaun whispers that it is only the cat making noises. That works until Sean realizes that he doesn't have a cat and must be blessed with a lucky wee friend. He leaves food for Brian and talks to him, and a comfortable alliance is made. When robbers break into Sean's home, the leprechaun's magic saves the day. This nicely told story with a sprinkling of enchantment is complemented with lively, simple illustrations depicting plain country life. Children will love this story and ask to hear it at any time of the year, but it is a wonderful choice for St. Patrick's Day.-Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Sean McDonald inadvertently builds his house over leprechaun Brian O'Shea's home. Though Brian tries to scare Sean away at first, the two eventually reach an unspoken agreement. When hard times hit, Brian shares his gold with Sean, and the two work together to thwart a robbery. Meisel's whimsical acrylic and watercolor illustrations add an additional layer of lightheartedness to the well-paced story. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
(Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
