Bug Hotel / Óstán na bhFeithidí
Publisher: An tSnáthaid Mhór
Get to know the bugs of Ireland in an uplifting way. Bug hotels are commonly placed now on the side of the road or at the end of an estate – a little wooden box with little matches inside to give space and safety for local insects. That’s exactly what this book provides in a way that suits the imagination of a young child. It is a display and a celebration of the different bugs that live around us. We see different bugs enter the hotel to get some rest and families of bugs sleeping soundly.
The author uses poetry to introduce us to the bugs and show them to us in a cute way. Every second page has a new verse, along with a chorus to create repetition and ease the reading experience. There are just four short lines in each verse and in the chorus, with rhyme flowing through them.
The artwork is displayed in a simple style. These are not detailed images of the bugs that are put before us, but pictures that show the basic shape of their bodies. There is a very satisfying contrast between night and day, and the paper suits that brilliantly. A child could mimic the images with paper and either a marker or paint on a finger. Readers may recognise the style from Ag Buzzáil sa Ghairdín and if you enjoyed that book, you’ll love this one too, as it follows the same mould but with the names of the bugs being the centre of focus instead of the flowers.
Cuir aithne ar fheithidí na hÉireann ar bhealach spreagúil. Is minic a fheictear “óstán feithidí” (bug hotel) anois ar thaobh an bhóthair nó ag bun eastát tithíochta, bosca beag adhmaid agus cipíní beaga istigh ann, a thugann spás agus cosaint d’fheithidí áitiúla. Sin díreach an rud atá faoi chaibidil sa leabhar seo, ar bhealach a oireann do shamhlaíocht an pháiste óig. Léiriú agus ceiliúradh é ar fheithidí difriúla a mhaireann timpeall orainn. Feicimid feithidí éagsúla ag dul isteach san óstán le dreas codlata a dhéanamh, agus ‘teaghlaigh’ feithidí ina gcodladh go séimh neamhurchóideach.
Dánta beaga a úsáideann an t-údar chun na feithidí a chur in aithne dúinn agus a léiriú ar bhealach gleoite. Bíonn véarsa beag nua ar gach péire leathanach, mar aon le ‘curfá’ a chruthaíonn leanúnachas agus a éascaíonn an léitheoireacht. Níl ach ceithre líne ghearra i ngach véarsa agus sa churfá, agus bíonn rím idir na línte.
Stíl shimplí a chleachtar in ealaín an leabhair seo. Ní léaráidí mionsonraithe de na feithidí a chuirtear romhainn, ach pictiúir a léiríonn cruth bunúsach a gcorp. Tá codarsnacht an-sásúil idir an lá agus an oíche, agus feileann an páipéar go hiontach dó sin. D’fhéadfadh páiste aithris a dhéanamh ar na híomhánna ach páipéar agus marcóir mór nó péint ar mhéar a úsáid. Aithneoidh léitheoirí an stíl ó Ag Buzzáil sa Ghairdín agus má thaitin an leabhar sin leat, beidh grá agat don cheann seo chomh maith, a leanann an múnla céanna le hainmneacha na bhfeithidí mar fhócas seachas na bláthanna.
With thanks to Gráinne Ní Mhuilneoir and Children’s Books Ireland for this review, in both languages.
-
Books We Love in September 2024
Books we love this month
-
Irish books of the year 2024
We look back at our favourite Irish books of the year 2024.