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Beanie the Bansheenie
A best-selling author and an award-winning illustrator join forces in a long-form picture book that turns a familiar myth of Irish folklore into a universal story of love, perseverance, and friendship against all odds.
Banshees are well known to most of us as supernatural Irish harbingers of doom. But not many know that they grow on the prickly gorse bush inside little pods, and that the sole job of a baby banshee, or “bansheenie,” is to bond with a human and know all there is to know about that person, including when they're destined to breathe their last breath. One bansheenie named Beanie, however, is no ordinary herald of death. When she sees her person, a little girl named Rose, she decides to change both their fates—and instead of delivering bad news, protect Rose and her family. And when her banshee's howl won't work, she must draw power and strength from the ancient secrets and hidden networks of the natural world to create a new sound, a new way of being in the world, that will change everything. Melding Eoin Colfer’s welcoming voice and Steve McCarthy’s striking Celtic imagery, Beanie the Bansheenie is a gloriously immersive, detailed, and emotional storytelling experience.
Banshees are well known to most of us as supernatural Irish harbingers of doom. But not many know that they grow on the prickly gorse bush inside little pods, and that the sole job of a baby banshee, or “bansheenie,” is to bond with a human and know all there is to know about that person, including when they're destined to breathe their last breath. One bansheenie named Beanie, however, is no ordinary herald of death. When she sees her person, a little girl named Rose, she decides to change both their fates—and instead of delivering bad news, protect Rose and her family. And when her banshee's howl won't work, she must draw power and strength from the ancient secrets and hidden networks of the natural world to create a new sound, a new way of being in the world, that will change everything. Melding Eoin Colfer’s welcoming voice and Steve McCarthy’s striking Celtic imagery, Beanie the Bansheenie is a gloriously immersive, detailed, and emotional storytelling experience.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2024
4 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Eoin Colfer
156 books11.8k followersEoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father and mother, who were both educators.
He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the Artemis Fowl novels, Eoin retired from teaching and now writes full time. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.
He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the Artemis Fowl novels, Eoin retired from teaching and now writes full time. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
November 13, 2024
In a Nutshell: A cute long-form picture book aimed at early readers, taking the Irish myth of the banshee and giving it a child-friendly twist. Didn’t expect a story with a banshee to be so sweet and heartening! I wanted more at the end, which is why my rating fell a bit.
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Plot Preview:
Banshee is an old Irish word and means ‘fairy woman’. However, her appearance is bound to create jitters as she is always a harbinger of death. So a children’s book focussing on this oft-ignored mythical character and write a touching story about her is a rarity indeed. The idea is both original and whimsical.
Beanie is a fascinating titular character, as expected. I loved her never-give-up spirit and her willingness to do whatever it takes to do her job well. It was great to see a banshee portrayed with such depth and without being scary.
Beanie’s friends, the little atom fish in the ditch, are also adorable. I wish there had been more of them in the story. Even Rose is a wonderful character, with all the positives and negatives of a human child. A fourth important but unacknowledged character in the book is Nature. Whether through the experiences of the water-based atom fish or Beanie’s attempts to learn more about her job or the later events that affect Rose, nature has a powerful role to play in the plot.
The plot gets a tad too philosophical at the end. When I say this, you might assume that the story involves Rose’s death, since that is a banshee’s purpose after all. But no, there’s no character dying in the book. The philosophy is more from Beanie’s lessons from her friends and the nature around her. While the ending does work for a kid’s book, I believe many kids will ask the million-dollar question after reaching the finish line: what happens to Rose when her life finally nears its end?
The official target age for this book is specified as 5-9 years, but I feel that the book might be a tad too complex for younger kids. This isn’t just because of the tough-to-accept idea of impending death but also because there are some difficult words in the content. Plus, many of the pages have 10-15 lines of text, which could be overwhelming for independent beginner-level readers. The book might work better for kids aged 7 and above.
The illustrations are stunning in every way. Vivid colours, cute characters, excellent background details! Based on the art style, I’d recommend the physical copy over a digital one (if available) as the artwork is spread across both sides of the open pages.
Don’t miss the tiny author’s note at the start of the book about banshees and what they do. It is slightly hidden on the book details page but offers a great introduction to banshees and how to view them differently.
All in all, this is a one-of-a-kind children’s book that will appeal to kids looking for unusual characters in their story books. The valuable lessons are a bonus.
I haven’t read this author’s popular Artemis Fowl series, but based on this first experience of his writing, I am certainly curious to read more of his works.
Recommended! If for nothing else, then for Beanie the loveable bansheenie. (Probably the only time in my life I’ll call a banshee ‘loveable’!)
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Candlewick Press for providing the DRC of “Beanie the Bansheenie” via Edelweiss+. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Connect with me through:
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Banshees are heralds of death. However, Beanie the titular banshee, or to be precise, a young bansheenie, missed out on crucial information about her human Rose due to an accident of nature. As a result, she doesn’t know when Rose is supposed to die. Instead of giving up, Beanie does her best to learn more about Rose, and as she channelizes her knowledge of nature and Rose together, Beanie realises some important truths about her role in Rose’s life.
Banshee is an old Irish word and means ‘fairy woman’. However, her appearance is bound to create jitters as she is always a harbinger of death. So a children’s book focussing on this oft-ignored mythical character and write a touching story about her is a rarity indeed. The idea is both original and whimsical.
Beanie is a fascinating titular character, as expected. I loved her never-give-up spirit and her willingness to do whatever it takes to do her job well. It was great to see a banshee portrayed with such depth and without being scary.
Beanie’s friends, the little atom fish in the ditch, are also adorable. I wish there had been more of them in the story. Even Rose is a wonderful character, with all the positives and negatives of a human child. A fourth important but unacknowledged character in the book is Nature. Whether through the experiences of the water-based atom fish or Beanie’s attempts to learn more about her job or the later events that affect Rose, nature has a powerful role to play in the plot.
The plot gets a tad too philosophical at the end. When I say this, you might assume that the story involves Rose’s death, since that is a banshee’s purpose after all. But no, there’s no character dying in the book. The philosophy is more from Beanie’s lessons from her friends and the nature around her. While the ending does work for a kid’s book, I believe many kids will ask the million-dollar question after reaching the finish line: what happens to Rose when her life finally nears its end?
The official target age for this book is specified as 5-9 years, but I feel that the book might be a tad too complex for younger kids. This isn’t just because of the tough-to-accept idea of impending death but also because there are some difficult words in the content. Plus, many of the pages have 10-15 lines of text, which could be overwhelming for independent beginner-level readers. The book might work better for kids aged 7 and above.
The illustrations are stunning in every way. Vivid colours, cute characters, excellent background details! Based on the art style, I’d recommend the physical copy over a digital one (if available) as the artwork is spread across both sides of the open pages.
Don’t miss the tiny author’s note at the start of the book about banshees and what they do. It is slightly hidden on the book details page but offers a great introduction to banshees and how to view them differently.
All in all, this is a one-of-a-kind children’s book that will appeal to kids looking for unusual characters in their story books. The valuable lessons are a bonus.
I haven’t read this author’s popular Artemis Fowl series, but based on this first experience of his writing, I am certainly curious to read more of his works.
Recommended! If for nothing else, then for Beanie the loveable bansheenie. (Probably the only time in my life I’ll call a banshee ‘loveable’!)
3.75 stars.
My thanks to Candlewick Press for providing the DRC of “Beanie the Bansheenie” via Edelweiss+. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
August 22, 2024
*4.5 stars*
Well that was one of the most whimsical things I've read in a bit, which is saying something. Absolutely stunning art with a heartwarming story to match of a wee Bansheenie who, through happenstance, doesn't truly bond with her human and so shenanigans ensue. In the vein of fairy tales, this one deals with death and possibilities and love. More suitable for older children due to the more complex storyline and themes, but a feast for the eyes and ears.
Well that was one of the most whimsical things I've read in a bit, which is saying something. Absolutely stunning art with a heartwarming story to match of a wee Bansheenie who, through happenstance, doesn't truly bond with her human and so shenanigans ensue. In the vein of fairy tales, this one deals with death and possibilities and love. More suitable for older children due to the more complex storyline and themes, but a feast for the eyes and ears.
July 10, 2025
don’t judge. I read a kids book in one sitting at a bookstore and didn’t buy it. So what.
High key need to rack up the number of books I read to reach my goal, so this Irish children’s book will do ☘️
High key need to rack up the number of books I read to reach my goal, so this Irish children’s book will do ☘️
December 10, 2024
Cute. The illustrator worked on the movie The Song of the Sea, cannot recommend it enough
January 6, 2026
Trop trop trop cute.
Comment aborder des créatures du folklore irlandais sans faire peur aux enfants… voici la réponse avec cet album!
Comment aborder des créatures du folklore irlandais sans faire peur aux enfants… voici la réponse avec cet album!
January 23, 2025
THE CUTEST LITTLE PICTURE BOOK ON EARTH!!!!!!
found this in the stack of processing children's books at work and MY HEART
found this in the stack of processing children's books at work and MY HEART
October 8, 2025
This was a super unique book which and whilst notably depressing in theme it actually turned into quite a heart-warming story. The illustrations are cartoon-like, which really works well, and they're a single colour palette in terms of a darker tone which forms a beautiful illustrative style.
In this story Beanie the Bansheenie is a creature fated to bond with a human and let them know that their death is coming for them. In a strange turn of events, Beanie has a slightly different and unexpected role in coming to love her human (platonically) and instead forges a more protective role.
I think it's tricky to know who the right audience for this would be though. It's certainly a tone which is too dark for little readers, but perhaps a bit too stilted for a more mature young reader. I wouldn't know who to purchase this for in all honesty. But it was an enjoyable, unique read nonetheless.
ARC provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
In this story Beanie the Bansheenie is a creature fated to bond with a human and let them know that their death is coming for them. In a strange turn of events, Beanie has a slightly different and unexpected role in coming to love her human (platonically) and instead forges a more protective role.
I think it's tricky to know who the right audience for this would be though. It's certainly a tone which is too dark for little readers, but perhaps a bit too stilted for a more mature young reader. I wouldn't know who to purchase this for in all honesty. But it was an enjoyable, unique read nonetheless.
ARC provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2025
Quel coup de cœur !
Je ne pensais pas autant aimer cette histoire.
En plus des illustrations absolument magnifiques (l'utilisation du vert comme couleur principale n'est pas courante, j'adore le parti pris), c'est un excellent album pour parler de briser les schémas et de faire de sa différence une force. Une belle histoire pour parler de la mort également.
A partir de 6 ans (5 pour les enfants qui ont l'habitude des histoires longues)
Je ne pensais pas autant aimer cette histoire.
En plus des illustrations absolument magnifiques (l'utilisation du vert comme couleur principale n'est pas courante, j'adore le parti pris), c'est un excellent album pour parler de briser les schémas et de faire de sa différence une force. Une belle histoire pour parler de la mort également.
A partir de 6 ans (5 pour les enfants qui ont l'habitude des histoires longues)
November 15, 2024
A heartwarming take on the banshee’s relationship to humans. Just a lovely short read with fantastic illustrations.
January 1, 2025
Such a sweet wholesome book to start the new year with 🥰 the illustrations are so pretty and the book is a quick easily read but that doesn’t take away the meaning of the folk tales 💚🧚🏻
February 1, 2025
Adorable story of love and great illustrations!
March 5, 2025
Absolutely delightful
August 8, 2025
Don’t read this if you’re a stickler for folklore. Not what I was expecting. Would’ve enjoyed it except it didn’t really stick to any of the traditions I was raised with.
November 24, 2025
lovely story and beautiful art ! i loved it
January 15, 2025
A modern fairy tale, Colfer has taken it upon himself to rewrite what we know about banshees. He imagines a young banshee, called a “bansheenie,” as she tumbles into a pond, befriends (and is befriended by) atom fish, and tries to get to know her personal human, who she will announce to one day that she will die. Instead of just being the harbinger of death for Rose, her person, she begins to learn about her and care for her. She turns her life toward a different purpose and protects the girl throughout her life.
This long-form picture book is just dreamy! I absolutely love the tone, the lyrical quality of the writing, the total immersion to the modern fairy-tale-aesthetic. It is delightfully dark and sweet, like the best kind of chocolate bar, and the illustrations are prickly and swirly just like Beanie! I think the palette for the book is perfect and pulls the reader into the story, making it just barely morose (we are talking about death here) but it seems like Song of the Sea (a gorgeous Celtic animated movie) and Studio Ghibli had a baby and this book is it. The “Creatures who are loved will pass on that love” is my absolute favorite quote of the whole book - and that is what Rose’s mythical partner does - she spends her life being a bringer of love rather than her sole job as the announcer of when her person dies. I think this book is going to be a hit with the kids and critics alike and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for this ARC.
This long-form picture book is just dreamy! I absolutely love the tone, the lyrical quality of the writing, the total immersion to the modern fairy-tale-aesthetic. It is delightfully dark and sweet, like the best kind of chocolate bar, and the illustrations are prickly and swirly just like Beanie! I think the palette for the book is perfect and pulls the reader into the story, making it just barely morose (we are talking about death here) but it seems like Song of the Sea (a gorgeous Celtic animated movie) and Studio Ghibli had a baby and this book is it. The “Creatures who are loved will pass on that love” is my absolute favorite quote of the whole book - and that is what Rose’s mythical partner does - she spends her life being a bringer of love rather than her sole job as the announcer of when her person dies. I think this book is going to be a hit with the kids and critics alike and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for this ARC.
October 2, 2025
Avec Billie la petite banshee, l’auteur irlandais Eoin Colfer – mondialement connu pour sa série Artemis Fowl – s’empare d’une figure traditionnelle du folklore celtique pour en proposer une réinvention tendre et poétique. Dans la mythologie irlandaise, les banshees sont des créatures mystérieuses, messagères de mort, dont le cri déchirant annonce aux humains la fin de leur existence. Mais Billie, héroïne de cette histoire, n’est pas une banshee comme les autres.
Chargée d’annoncer le destin funeste de Rose, une petite fille humaine, Billie déroge à la règle. Au lieu de garder ses distances, elle s’attache à son humaine, tissant avec elle un lien d’amitié sincère et bouleversant. Ce geste de rébellion contre la tradition ancestrale entraîne une série de péripéties, mais surtout une réflexion sur la compassion, la liberté de choix et la force des liens qui transcendent les frontières entre mondes.
Le texte de Colfer, à la fois simple et profond, touche par sa manière d’aborder un sujet grave – la mort – avec douceur et délicatesse, sans effrayer le jeune lecteur. L’histoire s’enrichit des illustrations de Steve McCarthy, vibrantes et colorées, qui transforment l’univers sombre des légendes irlandaises en un monde visuel foisonnant, accessible et lumineux.
Billie la petite banshee n’est pas seulement un conte folklorique revisité : c’est une fable universelle sur l’amitié, la différence et le courage de suivre son cœur, même lorsqu’il s’agit de défier le destin.
Chargée d’annoncer le destin funeste de Rose, une petite fille humaine, Billie déroge à la règle. Au lieu de garder ses distances, elle s’attache à son humaine, tissant avec elle un lien d’amitié sincère et bouleversant. Ce geste de rébellion contre la tradition ancestrale entraîne une série de péripéties, mais surtout une réflexion sur la compassion, la liberté de choix et la force des liens qui transcendent les frontières entre mondes.
Le texte de Colfer, à la fois simple et profond, touche par sa manière d’aborder un sujet grave – la mort – avec douceur et délicatesse, sans effrayer le jeune lecteur. L’histoire s’enrichit des illustrations de Steve McCarthy, vibrantes et colorées, qui transforment l’univers sombre des légendes irlandaises en un monde visuel foisonnant, accessible et lumineux.
Billie la petite banshee n’est pas seulement un conte folklorique revisité : c’est une fable universelle sur l’amitié, la différence et le courage de suivre son cœur, même lorsqu’il s’agit de défier le destin.
December 9, 2024
A banshee’s sole job is to bond with one human, learn everything about them, and sound the alert of their imminent demise. Accidentally knocked from her fairy bridge into a dark, dank, ditch, Beanie, the young banshee, discovers her inability to howl like other banshees. Through her unique talents and unconventional approach to her supernatural role, Beanie transforms her predetermined fate into a rich, love-filled journey celebrating friendship, kindness, and magic. McCarthy’s intricate digital illustrations compliment the narrative, breathing life into this fantastical world. Rendering hauntingly beautiful images, McCarthy expertly captures the emotional depth of the characters while adding magic and wonder to the tale. The unique use of the themes revolving around friendship and kindness will not be lost on readers. A short forward at the beginning educates readers on banshee folklore and the author's imaginative take on this legendary Irish creature. An innovative and beautifully written narrative of Irish folklore that is sure to be requested time and again from readers young and old. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
February 18, 2025
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The sweetest book about banshees that I have ever read.
Bansheenies (baby banshees) typically bond with the first person they see, allowing them to learn when that person will die. Through happenstance, Beanie's story is not quite so straightforward. Instead of simply telling her human, Rose, when her death is coming, she vows to really learn who Rose is and protect her and her family.
A wonderful story of friendship, love, and kindness. I wasn't so sure about reading about a "good" banshee, but Colfer does it all just right. A playful approach to Irish folklore that perfectly captures the way kindness and love spreads from one creature to the next.
Gorgeous illustrations. I really can't put into words how fantastical and lovely they are. If nothing else, the book is worth flipping through just to look at the wonderful artwork, let alone the magical story.
A wonderful modern fairy tale that perfectly captures the darkness and whimsy of the classics with its own heartwarming messages about the power of friendship, choosing kindness, and the positive ripple effects of love.
The sweetest book about banshees that I have ever read.
Bansheenies (baby banshees) typically bond with the first person they see, allowing them to learn when that person will die. Through happenstance, Beanie's story is not quite so straightforward. Instead of simply telling her human, Rose, when her death is coming, she vows to really learn who Rose is and protect her and her family.
A wonderful story of friendship, love, and kindness. I wasn't so sure about reading about a "good" banshee, but Colfer does it all just right. A playful approach to Irish folklore that perfectly captures the way kindness and love spreads from one creature to the next.
Gorgeous illustrations. I really can't put into words how fantastical and lovely they are. If nothing else, the book is worth flipping through just to look at the wonderful artwork, let alone the magical story.
A wonderful modern fairy tale that perfectly captures the darkness and whimsy of the classics with its own heartwarming messages about the power of friendship, choosing kindness, and the positive ripple effects of love.
September 22, 2025
You may have heard of banshees, supernatural beings from Irish folklore that serve as a messenger of doom. But did you know that baby banshees existed too? And that they're called bansheenies?
Bansheenies have a special job, when they hatch they become connected to one human that they must bond with and learn everything about, even down to the day they are destined to die. But the bansheenie in this story, Beanie, gets swept away from her human when she first hatches and knows nothing about her or when she might die.
Beanie decides to take a different approach to her bansheenie duties. If she can't warn her human, Rose, about her death she'll have to do everything in her power to protect her. The only problem? Bansheenies can only communicate with humans using their banshee howl, which they only use as a warning about their human's impending demise.
Will Beanie be able to figure out how to communicate with Rose and protect both her and her family from impending danger? She'll have to do her best or the worst may happen.
This was a beautifully written and illustrated story, a great title in our juvenile fiction collection. It was a quick read and the ending was lovely and heartwarming.
- Reviewed by Kate A.
Bansheenies have a special job, when they hatch they become connected to one human that they must bond with and learn everything about, even down to the day they are destined to die. But the bansheenie in this story, Beanie, gets swept away from her human when she first hatches and knows nothing about her or when she might die.
Beanie decides to take a different approach to her bansheenie duties. If she can't warn her human, Rose, about her death she'll have to do everything in her power to protect her. The only problem? Bansheenies can only communicate with humans using their banshee howl, which they only use as a warning about their human's impending demise.
Will Beanie be able to figure out how to communicate with Rose and protect both her and her family from impending danger? She'll have to do her best or the worst may happen.
This was a beautifully written and illustrated story, a great title in our juvenile fiction collection. It was a quick read and the ending was lovely and heartwarming.
- Reviewed by Kate A.
December 17, 2024
Do you know what a Banshee is? The name comes for old Irish and means "fairy woman". Their job is to herald the death of a family member. So there you are, eating dinner when a shrieking, howling, keening commences and you immediately know that someone in your family will die soon. Colfer thought that was a pretty lousy job. Here you are, a banshee, attached to one specific human and your only job is to shriek at folks when your human dies. So he created a young banshee - a bansheenie - who is different. This tiny Banshee was named Beanie. And Beanie saw his human - a young girl named Rose - but was swept into a ditch before bonding with her. Well that certainly changed things. Fortunately, Beanie is raised with love. There are teeny tiny atom fish in the ditch and they sing lovely songs and teach Beanie how the world works.
Once Beanie has met Rose, she tries to howl but Rose can't hear her. So instead -- she sings! And Rose and Beanie become best friends. And rather than standing by and letting Rose die, Beanie very smartly decides that she will save Rose instead. But how?
As Eoin says, "Every situation is made better with added kindness." Even for banshees.
Once Beanie has met Rose, she tries to howl but Rose can't hear her. So instead -- she sings! And Rose and Beanie become best friends. And rather than standing by and letting Rose die, Beanie very smartly decides that she will save Rose instead. But how?
As Eoin says, "Every situation is made better with added kindness." Even for banshees.
December 17, 2025
I am already a fan of Eoin Colfer because of Artemis Fowl.
This book has a similar fantasy element just much less detailed and long.
Very creative story about a bansheenie- which is a young banshee- that because of a mishap does not "bond" with her intended human because her pod got knocked off the vine under the fairy bridge (love that!). She becomes friends with the tiny "atom fish" which seem to live in the water drops. They named her Beanie.
Beanie decides to watch and get to know her human, a girl named Rose. After some time, Beanie falls in love with Rose. When the atom fish tell her a huge flood is coming, Beanie decides to change her beings purpose and warn - actually save Rose and her family.
From that point on, Beanie becomes the protector of Rose.
Beanie found a magic loophole to let Rose see her.
Also, Rose loves the color green and seems like a cool girl.
The illustrations are excellent and very detailed.
January 29, 2025
"Banshees are well known to most of us as supernatural Irish harbingers of doom. But not many know that they grow on the prickly gorse bush inside little pods, and that the sole job of a baby banshee, or "bansheenie," is to bond with a human and know all there is to know about that person, including when they're destined to breathe their last breath. One bansheenie named Beanie, however, is no ordinary herald of death. When she sees her person, a little girl named Rose, she decides to change both their fates-and instead of delivering bad news, protect Rose and her family. And when her banshee's howl won't work, she must draw power and strength from the ancient secrets and hidden networks of the natural world to create a new sound, a new way of being in the world, that will change everything"
This one is so fun! I want to be a bansheenie for Halloween next year!
This one is so fun! I want to be a bansheenie for Halloween next year!
February 6, 2025
Your average "be kind" story but Irish. Cute and wholesome, if a little basic. The illustrations really deserve four stars; there were some pages that I could've just kept looking at for ages. I think my favorite bit was when Beanie declined to join her fish friends on their journey because she had an important job to do. Made me think of Nehemiah's "I am doing important work and I cannot come down." Some parallels could definitely be made here, which I liked.
Because I'm dumb I had to double check that atom fish were in fact Not Real *sigh* I confess I wasn't 100% sure until the end when she was introduced to the wind fish, and those I am positive don't exist...
Because I'm dumb I had to double check that atom fish were in fact Not Real *sigh* I confess I wasn't 100% sure until the end when she was introduced to the wind fish, and those I am positive don't exist...
May 24, 2025
This was a decently cute story with some nice little touches (such as the family pets noticing Beanie while the humans don't, or Rose's shelf of dolls suggesting other media like Nightmare Before Christmas and Spirited Away). But it springs from a weirdly reductionist understanding of the banshee from folklore: their wail foretells a death in a family at least as often as an individual's death, and it is generally understood that they lived normal fairy lives, usually only foretelling deaths in specific families, rather than the singular purpose they serve in this story's reality.
Also, what the heck is an atom fish? That feels like something that needs even more explanation than a banshee does.
Also, what the heck is an atom fish? That feels like something that needs even more explanation than a banshee does.
October 5, 2025
I’ve read many of Eoin Colfer's works, and this one did not disappoint! It provides a unique twist on the Irish monster known as a banshee, focusing on an often forgotten mythical creature. Normally, banshees are seen as bringers of doom and destruction, but something happens to Beanie, the Banshee, early in life that changes her nature from a harbinger of doom to a protector. Set in Ireland, the illustrations mix in Irish culture such as Irish dancing, Celtic Knits, and more!
It's a wholesome, whimsical story that is a quick read but definitely worth a reread, especially to appreciate the illustrations. The details in the artwork beautifully illustrate the supernatural world coexisting with the natural world.
Recommended for ages 7-10 by the SEPA Book Reviewers
It's a wholesome, whimsical story that is a quick read but definitely worth a reread, especially to appreciate the illustrations. The details in the artwork beautifully illustrate the supernatural world coexisting with the natural world.
Recommended for ages 7-10 by the SEPA Book Reviewers
December 30, 2024
Based upon an Irish folktale, Beanie the Bansheenie tells the stories of a banshee who doesn't live like a banshee should, but in the end makes her more human and loveable. I was unfamiliar with this bit of Irish folklore and greatly enjoyed the story. The illustrations really brought the story to life and are just perfect to accentuate this quirky tale. Another home-run by Eoin Colfer and illustrator Steve McCarthy.
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Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
July 29, 2025
A baby banshee who doesn't know when her person will die studies her to try to find out. I don't pick up a book about a banshees so that I can read about the least possible banshee-like banshee. I'm fine with defanging scary things in a kidlit! There are plenty of effective and productive ways to do it. But this almost feels like false advertising; it's its own mythology and heartfelt narrative. Luckily, the art is phenomenal, with one of the best color palettes I've seen in a picture book; it elevates an inoffensive but fairly forgettable work.
September 8, 2025
This is a longer picture book by the Irish author of Artemis Fowl amongst lots of other books. Illustrations are by Steve McCarthy, from Dublin, who was a background designer for films like Oscar nominated Song of the Sea.
I haven’t ever thought about what a bansheenie is, but it is explained as a being that creates a sound to help prepare someone that their death is near. In this case, the bansheenie misses the moment to know, and worries about the child he is to alert, that he will not know the moment. It is a very loving book about their relationship thereafter.
I haven’t ever thought about what a bansheenie is, but it is explained as a being that creates a sound to help prepare someone that their death is near. In this case, the bansheenie misses the moment to know, and worries about the child he is to alert, that he will not know the moment. It is a very loving book about their relationship thereafter.
December 3, 2024
Delightful story about changing your own fate by going against the grain and listening to the elements of nature around us. Sweet, with a bit of humor (some familiar friends pop up on the child's shelves) and must love. Beautiful illustrations support and become their own character. One or two small bumps for me as an adult reader, but kids of all ages will enjoy. Better for the older reader, it can be adapted to multiple ages.
January 28, 2025
Good flow of the story and fantastic illustration style to compliment the feel of the story. Only flaw that gave me pause was that sometimes the text and image didn't match up on the write pages. For example, if the text may be laid out on one page, but the illustration for the last sentence is on the next textless page instead. I understand this was done for aesthetic reasons because the textless pages are beautiful, but it forced me to flip back and forth to see the connection.
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