The King of Ireland's Son
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Cover Story
The cover of this issue is a design incorporating illustrations from four books illustrated by the subject of our Authorgraph, Ian Beck. The top left illustration is from Five Little Ducks (Orchard), the top right from Poppy and Pip's Picnic (to be published Autumn '97 by HarperCollins), the bottom left from The Owl and the Pussy-cat (Transworld) and the bottom right from Home Before Dark (to be published September '97 by Scholastic). Ian Beck's Picture Book (Hippo) is reviewed in this issue.
Beck talks to BfK's interviewer, Julia Eccleshare, also in this issue. His distinctive decorative style with its sensitive pen line and cross hatching has a nostalgic but sometimes also a surreal quality - he describes it as 'a look that is floating, strong and wistful all at the same time'.
Thanks to Orchard, HarperCollins, Transworld and Scholastic for their help in producing this composite cover.
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The King of Ireland's Son
P J Lynch
There are many of the ingredients of the classic folk tale in this beautiful picture book: the king's son who outwits his scheming brothers, a beautiful princess, wise old men, a blustering giant. Combine these with an intelligent and resourceful stallion, lots of food, a series of trials to be undergone before prince Art wins fair maiden - all brought together by Brendan Behan's good-humoured retelling of an old Irish tale and we are in for a lively time. P J Lynch rises to the occasion with illustrations which show him at his most playful, involving the reader too in the goings-on: we are with the giant in his hide-out in the tree-top as Art scales the trunk from below. Then, we are behind Art as he delivers a terrific kick to the giant's football and, like the wise-old men, we are invigorated enough to join the celebratory dance in the concluding wedding-scene.
