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To Capture the Wind
In a risky plan to free her kidnapped lover, Oonagh cleverly solves the evil pirate king's riddles, unites the princess Ethne with her lover, and invents sails.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 18, 2024
I have been on a quest to track down books illustrated by Gregory Manchess, for his oil paintings are divine. He is paired with author Sheila MacGill-Callahan in this children's book about a brave and cunning Irish woman.
When Oonagh's beloved weaver fiance is kidnapped by pirates, she sets off to save him and uses her wits and charm to solve the pirate king's riddles. As I expected the art is evocative, bringing the ancient Celtic world to life. Both author and artist created a lovely folk tale together.
When Oonagh's beloved weaver fiance is kidnapped by pirates, she sets off to save him and uses her wits and charm to solve the pirate king's riddles. As I expected the art is evocative, bringing the ancient Celtic world to life. Both author and artist created a lovely folk tale together.
July 8, 2014
I read this book to my kids years ago, and have been trying to find it again ever since. I don't remember the pictures much, but I remember loving the story. And it has a character named Ethne like my niece!
August 16, 2024
When her beloved fiancé Conal, one of the best weavers in all of Ulster, is kidnapped by pirates days before their wedding, Oonagh sets out in pursuit, determined to rescue him. Learning that the pirate king Malcolm will marry his son to the woman who can answer four riddles, Oonagh hatches a plan and heads to his island stronghold. Here she pretends that she has come for Malcolm's son Aidan, when in truth she plans to free everyone—all the captured slaves, including Conal, as well as Aidan himself, who longs to marry Ethne, daughter of Queen Brigid of the South...
Published in 1997, To Capture the Wind is the second-to-last of author Sheila MacGill-Callahan's six picture books to be published, and the last that I had yet to read. Although based on Irish history and folklore, it is an original fairy-tale, one which celebrates bravery and cleverness. According to a note on the colophon, the four riddles used in the story—How do you capture the wind on the water? / How do you count all the stars in the sky? / How can you measure the love of a mother? / How can you write down a baby's first cry?—were taken from English composer John Rutter's song, Candlelight Carol . All in all I enjoyed this story, and I appreciated the accompanying artwork, done in oil paint, from illustrator Gregory Manchess. Some of the scenes here reminded me of N.C. Wyeth's work, which is high praise. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts and fairy-tale lovers, and to anyone seeking stories set in Ireland.
Published in 1997, To Capture the Wind is the second-to-last of author Sheila MacGill-Callahan's six picture books to be published, and the last that I had yet to read. Although based on Irish history and folklore, it is an original fairy-tale, one which celebrates bravery and cleverness. According to a note on the colophon, the four riddles used in the story—How do you capture the wind on the water? / How do you count all the stars in the sky? / How can you measure the love of a mother? / How can you write down a baby's first cry?—were taken from English composer John Rutter's song, Candlelight Carol . All in all I enjoyed this story, and I appreciated the accompanying artwork, done in oil paint, from illustrator Gregory Manchess. Some of the scenes here reminded me of N.C. Wyeth's work, which is high praise. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts and fairy-tale lovers, and to anyone seeking stories set in Ireland.
February 9, 2017
This a tale of love, riddles and secrets. Oonagh, a brave maid of Ulster, goes on a quest to find her beloved, taken by a Pirate King. With paintings by Gregory Manchess, Sheila Macgill-Callahan spins a Grand tale.
August 27, 2015
This is a compelling story for young readers about a daring heroine, a proud exception in a book world with too few heroines to choose from.
To some extent, there is nothing new to the story here, it is a tale of a person betrayed, and how they go on a quest to use cleverness and perseverance in order to get revenge and save their lover. The fact that it is a woman doing the saving really makes it shine, though, particularly because everything else is treated exactly the same. And the clever bits are clever, and the ending is, well, actually more satisfying than books about this sort of thing usually are. (The villain actually learns something.) Highly recommended for the adventurer in your life.
To some extent, there is nothing new to the story here, it is a tale of a person betrayed, and how they go on a quest to use cleverness and perseverance in order to get revenge and save their lover. The fact that it is a woman doing the saving really makes it shine, though, particularly because everything else is treated exactly the same. And the clever bits are clever, and the ending is, well, actually more satisfying than books about this sort of thing usually are. (The villain actually learns something.) Highly recommended for the adventurer in your life.
March 11, 2013
Used this for a third grade class visit. The teacher wanted stories about creative, innovative people, so I chose some stories from my strong women stories I set aside. Oonagh rescues her fiance by answering four riddles and inventing something to capture the wind.
February 18, 2016
Oonagh is a heroine! She solves riddles, she is brave and inventive.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews