Brave Margaret : An Irish Adventure

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book for all children!
Review: Brave Margaret is a the classic fairy tale, but with a twist. In Brave Margaret, the hero is Margaret and she must save the Knight in shining armor and slay the dragon. A must have for all parents with girls AND boys. Story is reminiscient of classic greek tales and Aesop fables. The story itself is excellent the artwork is magnificant.

Rating:
Summary: I didn't much care for it
Review: Margaret gets one look at some sailor guy, falls in "love," and decides she wants to sail around the world with him. Then a sea serpent attacks the ship, saying "Throw me the red woman, or I will swallow all of you!" Margaret, ever the selfless woman, steals a rowboat and leaves the ship crying, "I will not be guilty of your deaths! What happens now is the will of God." Then, one thing leads to another and she finds herself stuck in the house of an old witch, who won't let her leave until Margaret has lured a true hero, to fight a giant. The hero will be known because his finger will fit a magic ring. Only after her sailor guy tries and fails, does she try on the ring. "What fools we are for thinking it must be a man who slays that great, dirty giant!" Margaret says. Then she goes off to save her lover and gets a marriage for her trouble.

The stilted and banal dialogue and bland storytelling didn't much impress me. Much fuss is made about Margaret being so brave and spunky, but to me she seemed about as spunky as a wet noodle. Try Jane Yolen's "Ballad of the Pirate Queens", Ursula K LeGuin's "Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight", or Kathryn Lasky's "The First Painter" for some good female heroines who don't have to make a fuss about being "spunky."

Rating:
Summary: I didn't much care for it
Review: Margaret gets one look at some sailor guy, falls in "love," and decides she wants to sail around the world with him. Then a sea serpent attacks the ship, saying "Throw me the red woman, or I will swallow all of you!" Margaret, ever the selfless woman, steals a rowboat and leaves the ship crying, "I will not be guilty of your deaths! What happens now is the will of God." Then, one thing leads to another and she finds herself stuck in the house of an old witch, who won't let her leave until Margaret has lured a true hero, to fight a giant. The hero will be known because his finger will fit a magic ring. Only after her sailor guy tries and fails, does she try on the ring. "What fools we are for thinking it must be a man who slays that great, dirty giant!" Margaret says. Then she goes off to save her lover and gets a marriage for her trouble.

The stilted and banal dialogue and bland storytelling didn't much impress me. Much fuss is made about Margaret being so brave and spunky, but to me she seemed about as spunky as a wet noodle. Try Jane Yolen's "Ballad of the Pirate Queens", Ursula K LeGuin's "Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight", or Kathryn Lasky's "The First Painter" for some good female heroines who don't have to make a fuss about being "spunky."

Rating:
Summary: Just brave?
Review: The title "Brave" does not do Margaret justice. She is fearless, powerful, intelligent, kind Margaret. The fable, set in the one place on Earth I would love to live, Ireland, is wonderful. Margaret meets her prince...but who will save who? The illustrations are as beautiful as Margaret. (I love the opening stained glass.) If you have daughters, or a classroom with girls, are a girl, or just know a girl, grab this book for a good read. Highly recommended.