piaras o. cionnaoith
Review of ‘Jai’s Vision’
Eighteen-year-old Jai a squire in 14th century England, in a time of magic and mystery, is best friends with Lady Amelie, daughter of the ruler. When he starts to have visions, such as a yellow door in the woods that only he can see, Amelie takes him to the kingdom’s mage, who informs him that this is a sign of his fate—that it implies things both positive and negative. Jai is then faced with a dilemma. There are things that he knows, about Amelie for example, that he cannot reveal. His faith and courage are tested to their limits.
Jai’s Vision by noted author Pairas O’Cionnaorth is a short tale for younger readers that is filled with wise and sage advice that is subtly inserted in a tale of mysticism and valor. My only complaint about the story is that ending sort of leaves things hanging insofar as Jai’s future is concerned, but it is still a fascinating little read.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book, and found it quite entertaining. I give it four stars.
Review of ‘Peaceful Night Poetry’
Do your kids have trouble falling asleep? You could try giving them a glass of warm milk before bedtime, or, even better, you could read some of the fantastic poems in Piaras O Cionnaoith’s Peaceful Night Poetry. A brief, but fascinating, little book of poems and excellent artwork, it will not only help your little one fall asleep peacefully, but it’s a good way to stimulate young minds and instill a love of reading and poetry. As a bonus, along with the poems and art, the author provides ten useful tips for a good night’s sleep. This is truly a great book for ages 3 to 103, that everyone will enjoy.
I give it five stars.
Review of ‘Learning My Letters’
Learning My Letters: Writing Skills A – Z is the third book in Piaras O. Cionnaoith’s picture books for teaching writing and drawing skills to early readers. An interesting little book that shows both upper- and lowercase letters, how to construct them, along with pictures of things that begin with that letter.
A useful book for introducing children to writing the alphabet and learning new words. My only complaint is that in the Kindle version, the labels of the photos are in a very light type that was a challenge for my elderly eyes.
A worthwhile addition to your child’s book shelves.
I give it four stars.
Review of ‘Learning My Words: A-Z’
Learning My Words A-Z is another nice little picture book by Piaras O. Cionnaoith. This one introduces basic reading skills with notes for teachers at the end. Because of the British spellings, it probably would be of only marginal utility for American readers, and a couple of the definitions in the teachers’ notes section are misleading, e.g., for ‘fire’, the effects of fire are given as the definition, rather than a precise definition of what fire actually is.
Despite these shortcomings, it’s still an interesting book.
I give it three stars.
Review of ‘Learning my ABCs: Animals A-Z’
Learning My ABCs: Animals A-Z by Piaras O. Cionnaoith is a short picture book that helps youngsters learn the alphabet, and at the same provides interesting and fun facts about select animals. A great book, with only one criticism, the author describes a group of quails as a ‘convoy,’ when, if I remember from my hunting days, is actually a ‘covey.’ Besides this trivial little error, this is an excellent book that I highly recommend for your youngster who is just beginning his or her reading journey.
Despite that error, I give the author five stars for a wonderful little book.
Review of “Learning my Drawing’
Learning My Drawing by Piaras O. Cionnaoith is a short drawing tutorial for children that shows how to draw some not-so-simple things, such as birds, flowers, etc. Beginning with the basic shapes and showing the step-by-step process of adding detail, this tutorial can be used alone by children with a basic reading ability, but with adult help, even non-readers should be able to make adequate drawings. A great way to introduce your youngster to art.
I give this book four stars.
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