Squirrelbeg's Magic Nuts, A Story of the Dublin Zoo

Descripción

Morris and Company: Dublin [Published date: No date listed (circa 1947)]. Hard cover, 182 pp. No other printings listed. Good/ NO dust jacket. Blue textured paper over boards with black lettering on front and spine. Spine and top edge are quite faded. Light to moderate overall scuffing and soiling to covers as well. Binding tight. Endpapers are quite browned. Otherwise are lightly browned but clean and unmarked. NOT Ex-library. NO remainder marks. Nice black and white illustrations by Miss Anne Townshend. [From entry in the Catalogue of National Collection of Children's books, Dublin] This book is primarily of significance because of its intermingling of genres: it is a guide book for Dublin city and Dublin Zoo, and it also incorporates elements of fantasy, folklore, in addition to myth and legend. The book?s specific focus on Dublin landmarks, mainly the Phoenix Park and Dublin Zoo, at a time when there was a dearth of specifically Irish material being published for children in Ireland, also make the text a significant contribution to mid-20th century Irish children?s literature and culture more broadly. This is a relatively rare book: there is one other copy held in the NLI [1947]. No information could be located about the author, Marjorie M. Browne, however, the preface is written by Lord Dunsany, Edward Plunkett, (1878?1957), 18th Baron Dunsany, who was a prominent literary and political figure, and friend of W.B Yeats (Maume). The book tells the story of two children from Galway who visit Dublin Zoo, and is the story of their day-trip, in addition to a guide to the zoo. The children?s ?Uncle? who they know from their time spent in colonial India, is introduced, and accompanies them to the zoo (12). In this manner, the children and their family, with distinctively Irish names and now living in the west of Ireland, are placed in terms of a familiarity colonial India, and there are further sporadic references to colonial settings elsewhere in the book. Squirrelbeg, of the book?s title, is a talking squirrel who introduces himself at the gates to the zoo as having been sent by ?the master?, their Uncle Cedric (14). Squirrelbeg speaks to the children and Cedric throughout, initiating conversation and telling anecdotes about various animals. The specifically ?Irish? part of the zoo is described later in the book, in a classification that the organisation of the zoo facilitates. In the section ?Fiona the Highland Cow and Colum the Irish Wild Goat?, Squirrelbeg mentions the ?Irish Animals? Club? (73) ??It?s just a way of sticking together,? Squirrelbeg explained. ?There are so many foreign animals that the Irish animals are in serious danger of being left out?? (73) The book also contains a section devoted to Irish myth, ?The Story of the Children of Lir? (117), and Roman myth in ?Romulus and Remus? (126). Irish folklore is also referenced, as Squirrelbeg?s communication with fairies is raised throughout. The book ends with an extended story uninterrupted by headings ?The Night Fairies? Party? (139-182). N° de ref. del artículo 20190907003

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