Snakes'
Elbows by Deirdre Madden
Published
by Orchard Books, 2005
Invisible
dogs and magic fudge, bats, cats and beans on toast!
This is just
a taste of what’s in store if you read Snakes’ Elbows
by Deirdre Madden. This witty tale of how life in the small town
of Woodford is transformed won the 2005-6 Eilís Dillon Award
which goes to an outstanding first children’s book annually.
When a shy gifted,
pianist arrives in Woodford and goes head-to-head with a rascally
arms trader as both vie for a famous local painting, the result
is a funny, intriguing story where the adults (there are no children
in the story) are brilliantly portrayed as big kids.
Adult issues
such as fame, arms dealing, vanity and the media are presented with
a simplicity that readers as young as seven or eight can understand
perfectly.
Plain black
and white sketches of cats, dogs and coins at the beginning and
end of twenty seven short chapters make it even a more enticing
read for young children.
Reviewing Snakes’
Elbows in Inis, Summer 2006, Debbie Thomas had the following to
say;
"There’s
no need to summarise this story. Just read it. From its intriguing
title to its triumphant end it’s a slice of wise and playful
brilliance."
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