"Patrick O'Kelly was a peddler of scarves and trinkets, with a habit of telling magnificent lies." So begins "The Ring of Truth". "Magnificent" may even be an understatement for him. He is supposed to have kissed the Blarney Stone once, that fabled and mystical rock that gives one the gift of gab, and by the way he carries on, it's believed that he managed to get a bit of that rock stuck in his teeth! He is such a fine artist of Blarney, that he easily boasts that he could out-fib the very king of the Leprechauns himself!!

Well, as any good Irish legend will tell you, be careful about what you say about the Fair Folk, for they have great ears for hearing and egos to boot!! It's hardly long before Patrick O'Kelly is swept off to the very land of the Faeries to meet the king of the leprechauns himself!

Like any fine Celtic tale, the book is full of twists and turns and play on words, of which the title of the book is just one (I'll not give away the ending for fear of spoiling the fun for readers!). The ending is a fun surprise for readers, as well as for our brave hero, Patrick O'K. Himself! What will stick to readers' ribs most, however, are the illustrations.

Illustrated by Omar Rayyan, the book resembles now an illuminated manuscript, now a surrealistic painting. Faeries and other Fair Folk are mischievous creatures, to say the least, and to step into their world, however briefly, is to take a roller coaster ride into the ethereal and strange. Winged sprites flit too and fro, and the King has always about him a smile that is first playful and fun, and upon closer inspection, hinting at some darker purpose. Once Patrick has gone to their fair land, they are all about him, hiding here and there, yet the reader knows that they are invisible to everyone-another example of that mischievous, almost sinister magic they weave.

All in all, a tremendous book and perhaps too overlooked in the children's section. Though Irish in nature, it is not about St. Patrick's day, so there is no need to keep it mothballed until then! Bring out this treasure of a story and illustration and read it often!!

Teresa Bateman's Ring Of Truth is simply wonderful! I enjoyed reading this wild tale of "true" blarney. Delightful and entertaining---A great read.

Rich, complex and gorgeous illustrations provide the perfect compliment to the story of the braggart Patrick who is tricked by the Leprechaun King and must now tell only the truth. Obviously, this will be a decided disadvantage in the Blarney contest in which he is entered. Or will it? A thoroughly enjoyable tale which has the familiar feel of a truly great fairytale for the ages.

"Harp O'Gold" combines a story by Teresa Bateman with illustrations by Jill Weber. Together they tell the tale of Tom, a minstrel who is dissatisfied with his career. He blames his dissatisfaction on his old wooden harp, which he trades for a flashy gold harp with an inferior sound quality. Tom's fortunes change, and he eventually learns an unexpected but valuable lesson.

This is an enjoyable story that is wonderfully enhanced by the colorful, merry illustrations. The artwork has a Grandma Moses-like quality, and is full of visual jokes and other clever details. The overall look of the book is bright and inviting, and Tom is a likeable hero.

I think I would give this wonderful picture book five stars even if the text was tripe because the illustrations are so lovely but fortunately the text is equally good. Two fisherman brothers, one an idealistic dreamer and the other a materialistic schemer accidentally pull up a baby mermaid in their nets along with their catch of fish. Both brothers see dollar signs, one hoping for riches and fame, the other wishing for a carefree life of exploration and discovery. They decide to sell her as a curiosity and make their fortune. The dreamy brother falls in love with the adorable merbaby and his conscience won't let him sell her into a miserable life on land. In the end kindness is rewarded. The story also reveals an age old enmity between the sea folk and the land folk because of the way land folk plunder and abuse the gifts of the sea. It has a good message about ecology and respect for other beings rather than dominance and destruction. The large double spread illustrations have an atmospheric sea-green wash and are as sure to enchant as a mermaid's voice.

Grammy got this for my kids and they LOVE it. The story is goofy, which appeals to my preschooler and first grader both. They love looking for Pete on the end papers, and at the website. Talk about fun! The rhymes are great for my first grade reader, and fun to listen to also. The colourful pictures and meter of the text hold my one year old's attention as well. A great all around family book!

Farm Flu is a sweet little book about a boy and his sickly livestock. I think that the rhyme is good, but the story is even better. And how charming is the repeated text "I know just what my mom would do / if it were me who had the flu."? My little son requests this book a LOT, and I am only too happy to oblige him.