Publication date: November 2011
Publisher: Cois Life
ISBN: 9781907494178
Page count: 46
Price: €10
Age group: 8–10 10–12
An Dragan Feasa
by Rhiannon Watsom (Author)
Olivia Golden (Author)
Meallfar léitheoirí óga agus cuirfear iad faoi dhraíocht an scéil mhearluais spreagúil seo faoi dhragain, faoi dhraíocht agus faoi eachtraí spéisiúla- saothar céadfhoilsithe ón údar Rhiannon Watson. Ó thús scéil ina dtugtar briseadh teaghlaigh le fios, cuirtear Seosamh, Laoise agus Máirtín in aithne dúinn, triúr siblíní atá an-difriúil óna chéile ach a bhfuil dlúthchaidream eatarthu freisin. Tar éis a bheith ag tnúth le samhradh leadránach a chaitheamh i dtigh Mhamó mar gheall ar easpa airgid a máthar, cuireann brionglóidí aisteacha iad sa tóir ar uirlisí draíochta a osclóidh doras go domhan eile. Agus iad ann, caithfidh siad an Dragan Feasa a dhúiseacht ó chodladh draíochta a cuireadh air de bharr feall a thánaiste Ddraig agus muintir an domhain sin a shábháil ó thíorántacht. Cuireadh béim sa scéal ar bhuanna agus laigí na bpáistí aonair agus ar an gcaidreamh eatarthu, mínithe le guth an bhuachalla is sine, Seosamh. Déanann Watson iniúchadh ar théama an teaghlaigh agus ar an mbulaíocht ar bhonn caolchúiseach agus í ag cothromaíocht mothúchán agus aicsin chun cinntiú go maireann an scéal seo ina shaothar fantaisíochta iontach spreagúil.
Is tionlacain áille ar an scéal iad maisiúcháin an leabhair seo ina léirítear brionglóidí dorcha, péisteanna draíochta, catha pearsanta agus catha fantaisíochta. Baineann an maisitheoir, Olivia Golden, úsáid as meán measctha amhail péint agus grianghraif dhigiteacha chun pictiúir a chruthú atá lán d’fhuinneamh agus de dhathanna láidre ach le ton dorcha freisin a thaitneoidh go hairithe le sprioc-aoisghrúpa an leabhair seo.
Lán le haicsean agus draíocht óna thúslínte, is leabhar fantaisíochta é An Dragan Feasaatá dea-scríofa le léaráidí den scoth ann. Bheadh an leabhar feiliúnach do pháistí ó 9-12 atá muiníneach maidir le léitheoireacht na Gaeilge agus tá cárta gluaise iniata leis chun cabhrú le foclóir dúshlánach.
This exciting, fast-paced debut work from author Rhiannon Watson will enchant and intrigue young readers with its tale of magic, adventure and dragons. Set against the backdrop of a family break-up, the story introduces us to Seosamh, Laoise and Máirtín, three very different but very close siblings. Financial troubles have doomed them to spend a boring summer in their grandmother’s house but some unsettling dreams set them on the hunt for magical objects which open a doorway to another world. Once there, they must wake the Wise Dragon from the sleep brought on by the treachery of his viceroy Ddraig and free the people of this world from tyranny. The story focuses on the distinctive strengths and weaknesses of the three siblings and their relationship with each other, revealed through the voice of the middle child, Seosamh. Watson subtly explores themes of family and bullying throughout the story, cleverly balancing emotion and action to ensure that this is first and foremost an exciting and excellent piece of fantasy writing.
Dark dreams, magical monsters and battles both real and fantastical are brought to life in this book’s illustrations which serve as a beautiful accompaniment to the story. Using mixed media, including traditional paint and digital photography, illustrator Olivia Golden creates pictures which are at once vibrant and bright in colour and dark and brooding in tone and will particularly appeal to this book’s target age-group.
Packed full of action and magic from its opening lines, An Dragan Feasais a wonderfully written and expertly illustrated fantasy. Suitable for confident readers of Irish aged 9-12, it comes with a separate glossary card to assist with some of the more challenging vocabulary.
Review by
Web Editor
This review was published online in
June 2012
