Ellora McGee, Trainee Banshee: The New School

by Sinéad O'Hart, Una Woods (Illustrator)

128 pages, Hardcover

Published November 13, 2025

About the author

Sinéad O'Hart was born on a long-ago Monday in one of the many corners of Ireland. She grew up - not very far up, to be honest - with one brother and two parents, in a small house full of books. She always wanted to be an author, but somehow managed to wander through a variety of careers (including butcher, bookseller, and university lecturer, among others) before finally getting around to what she should have been doing all along, which was writing.

Her first book, THE EYE OF THE NORTH, was published by Knopf BFYR (US/Canada) in 2017, and by Stripes Publishing (UK/Ireland) in 2018. Her second book, THE STAR-SPUN WEB, came out in 2019 (Stripes, UK/Ireland; Knopf BFYR, US/Canada). In 2021 she published THE RAVENS' CALL with Harper Collins Children's Books and a third novel with Stripes/Little Tiger Press, SKYBORN, a prequel to her first book, The Eye of the North. Her fourth and fifth novels, THE TIME TIDER and THE SILVER ROAD, came out in 2023, the former with Stripes/Little Tiger Press and the latter with Piccadilly Press. In 2024 she began publishing her series of younger readers with Nosy Crow, beginning with LOLA AND LARCH FIX A FAIRY FOREST. Three titles in this series published in 2024, along with her sixth novel, SWORD OF THE SUN (Piccadilly Press).

She lives with one husband and one energetic youngster in the midlands of Ireland, in a small house full of books.

Reviews

[Graham Connors · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! Ellora is such a cool character! I know I'm not the target audience for this book, but it was a lot of fun. I feel like it is only getting going, that there's more to come from Ellora and her amazing hair!!

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! The young reader in your life will love it (you might, too!)!

[Tarsila Krüse · Rating 5 out of 5]

New experiences can be both exciting and intimidating. When Ellora McGee moves to a new town and starts attending Shee Le Chéile NS, her initial excitement quickly turns to worry. Not only is Ellora new to the area and dealing with hair that has a mind of its own, but she is also a Banshee, at the age when her warning wails begin to emerge.

This charming story encourages readers to build confidence and embrace self-acceptance while highlighting the importance of support and friendship. This hardback book features adorable and whimsical characters, transporting readers straight into Ellora's relatable and magical world, which is rooted in Irish mythology, showcasing enchanting elements in an approachable and accessible way.

The illustrations by Úna Wods are delightful, capturing just the right balance of whimsy while beautifully balancing the story’s worries, humour, and tender moments. The limited colour palette of greys and aquamarine adds an extra magic touch to the book.

This book is sure to be a delightful treat, perfect for early middle-grade readers who may need support with anxiety, enjoy stories about friendship, or have a fondness for fairies!