The dot com Leprechaun

by Caroline Stellings

When Lucy discovers a leprechaun has been ensorcelled into the Internet by a disgruntled witch, it is up to her to help him return to his home in the old rootcellar. This is a modern fairy tale, set in Elliston, Newfoundland, the root-cellar capital of the world. Scenic watercolours of the Bonavista peninsula colour this lively story.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, trade paperback

First published March 17, 2010

About the author

Caroline Stellings is an award-winning author and illustrator of numerous books for children and young adults. She has received many honours for her work, including nominations for both the Geoffrey Bilson Award and the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award, and she has won both the ForeWord Book of the Year and the Hamilton Literary Award. Her picture book Gypsy’s Fortune (Peanut Butter Press) was chosen as a Best Bet by the Ontario Library Association. Caroline has a Masters degree from McMaster University. She lives in Waterdown, Ontario.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

An original fairy tale set in Newfoundland, The dot com Leprechaun (both written and illustrated by local Waterdown, Ontario author and artist Caroline Stellings) tells the story of Lucy, a young Newfoundland girl who is about to face the loss of her beloved ocean-side family home (times are tough on the Bonavista Peninsula, and Lucy's parents are simply unable to continue to make the required payments on their home). While distracting herself with her computer, Lucy encounters a leprechaun (a leprechaun who requires Lucy's help as he has been magically transported into her computer by the volatile and moody witch Elfrieda). Before moonrise, Lucy must go down to the eerie root cellar of her house, retrieve the silver satin shoes the leprechaun has made for Elfrieda, and then convince the witch that these shoes fit, that the leprechaun did not make shoes too small for Elfrieda's big feet. Otherwise, the witch will cast a spell, forever turning the leprechaun Caboto (Caboto, not Rumpelstiltskin, as stated by the leprechaun himself) into a cyber-leprechaun. Will Lucy be brave enough to venture into the creepy, uncanny root cellar? Will she have enough courage to help Caboto, and perhaps, by helping him, also help herself and her family?

With an engaging text and evocative, poignant accompanying illustrations, Caroline Stellings deftly combines traditional folklore, historical detail and modern computer-lingo (all framed by the specter of poverty, of a family about to lose their home, their ocean-side sanctuary). Both emotionally moving and gently witty, both historically informative and fantastical, The dot com Leprechaun weaves a magical, sweetly enjoyable tapestry of text and image. Narrative and illustrations not only show the fantasy, the pathos, the humour of the story-line, they are also evocative of the sights, sounds, the very presence of Newfoundland, no mean feat, considering that the author has actually never been to Newfoundland.

Recommended for children interested in magical creatures, especially leprechauns and other "Little People" and The dot com Leprechaun would also be a good first introduction to Newfoundland history (particularly John Cabot, whose background and achievements are presented in an excellent and informative authors's note, along with details about the historical significance of root cellars). Furthermore, I believe that The dot com Leprechaun could also be a wonderful book to gently, but firmly introduce younger children to some of the current economic woes facing many Newfoundlanders (the threat of losing their homes, the fact that with the decline of the cod fisheries, many Newfoundlanders have been forced to leave the island and find work elsewhere, such as Ontario and Alberta).

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute little book and I love the illustrations.