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Celtic Mythology for Kids: Tales of Selkies, Giants, and the Sea
The magic of myths comes to life in this Celtic mythology book for kids 8 to 12
Imagine a world where fearsome giants, mischievous fairies, charming witches, and ageless queens wander the land. In Celtic Mythology for Kids , you'll be taken on a guided journey through the mystical realm of the Celts told through folklore and tall tales. This engaging book for kids (ages 8 to 12) will keep your imagination running as wild as Ireland's emerald-green forests.
Featuring a handful of famous and lesser-known myths from places like Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany, this is your introduction to a faraway world of wonder. With vibrant, colorful illustrations at the beginning of every myth, you'll feel like you're part of the action—whether you're chasing deep-sea treasure or starting off on a quest.
Celtic Mythology for Kids
Enter the magical universe of Celtic mythology with this riveting book for kids.
Imagine a world where fearsome giants, mischievous fairies, charming witches, and ageless queens wander the land. In Celtic Mythology for Kids , you'll be taken on a guided journey through the mystical realm of the Celts told through folklore and tall tales. This engaging book for kids (ages 8 to 12) will keep your imagination running as wild as Ireland's emerald-green forests.
Featuring a handful of famous and lesser-known myths from places like Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany, this is your introduction to a faraway world of wonder. With vibrant, colorful illustrations at the beginning of every myth, you'll feel like you're part of the action—whether you're chasing deep-sea treasure or starting off on a quest.
Celtic Mythology for Kids
Enter the magical universe of Celtic mythology with this riveting book for kids.
142 pages, Paperback
Published May 12, 2020
60 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 15, 2025
This lovely little Celtic Mythology book traverses through so many tales that will delight and astonish you!
The good woman was horrified by the cost of her shortsightedness and realized that the old woman was not a woman at all, but an evil fairy/
A hushed silence fell upon Finn and his comrades as they realized she was a fairy maiden.There are four sections to this book.
Mischief Makers and Monstrous Fakers - goes into all kinds of fairy tricks and the poor souls who believe them. From horned women to brownies (not the eating kind) – this section has it all.
For Love Alone – focuses on hauntingly romantic tales that often have dire consequences for the ones who betray.
Landscapes in Celtic Folklore – talks about the famous sort of places like fairy mounds and Merilin’s craig. Whimsy and magic abound!
And finally, there’s Into the Wide, and Wild World – which goes into all sorts of amazing adventures and types of folks you might run into.
I quite liked this book - it was catchy and there was a huge variety in the types of tales.
Some seemed a bit familiar - like Whippety Stourie or the Selkie tale - but others where wholly new, such as Snorro of the Dwarf Stone or The Draiglin Hogney.
The drawings were certainly unique and vibrantly designed.
All in all, this book was really great. I really enjoyed all of the stories told and it was so much fun!
A Huge thank you to Rockridge Press, Callisto Publisher's Club and the author for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
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June 29, 2020
I love mythoi and so whenever I get a chance I do love to get editions where I can read them over again while seeing if they fit with what I know. As such I do find some versions to be awful such as Bulfinch and occasionally others amaze me while most fall somewhere in-between the two choices.
This was one that didn't totally amaze me but it did bring some good stories out that I hadn't heard of before and others that clearly didn't belong at all in the book. There were at least two stories that could be dated to have taken place supposedly after Celtic times and thus they weren't even Celtic myths even if the origins in the far past may have once been similar. The first story was dated incorrectly due to the fact that the characters had guns, which no Celtic history will prove they had such weapons. And the second dated story was the one in which William of Normandy was invading, which is when England was taken from the Anglo-Saxons instead of the Celts.
Anyway I did like the fact the stories were put into four different sections, which seemed to progress in proximity thus your legends, folktales and romances padded the first sections while actual mythoi was only reached at the end. As such, again, the title is rather misleading.
The illustrations were also something I wasn't quite a fan of and I wish they had done something else instead of the medium they chose. Brightly colored and a bit detailed they unfortunately looked like something Picasso may have chosen to use for the project.
With the pronunciation and glossary n the back this will be a nice stepping stone for children to see the stories and myths inspired by the Celts but as for me I wouldn't choose this particular edition for my own go-to source.
**Please note I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review**
This was one that didn't totally amaze me but it did bring some good stories out that I hadn't heard of before and others that clearly didn't belong at all in the book. There were at least two stories that could be dated to have taken place supposedly after Celtic times and thus they weren't even Celtic myths even if the origins in the far past may have once been similar. The first story was dated incorrectly due to the fact that the characters had guns, which no Celtic history will prove they had such weapons. And the second dated story was the one in which William of Normandy was invading, which is when England was taken from the Anglo-Saxons instead of the Celts.
Anyway I did like the fact the stories were put into four different sections, which seemed to progress in proximity thus your legends, folktales and romances padded the first sections while actual mythoi was only reached at the end. As such, again, the title is rather misleading.
The illustrations were also something I wasn't quite a fan of and I wish they had done something else instead of the medium they chose. Brightly colored and a bit detailed they unfortunately looked like something Picasso may have chosen to use for the project.
With the pronunciation and glossary n the back this will be a nice stepping stone for children to see the stories and myths inspired by the Celts but as for me I wouldn't choose this particular edition for my own go-to source.
**Please note I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review**
May 8, 2020
I love these fairy tales from Celtic myths! They are retold in a simple manner for children, and each tale is between 3-7 pages long. The tales use a few Irish and Scottish words, but they are explained and there is even a glossary of Celtic words in the back of the book. I love how the rich Celtic culture is celebrated in this book!
The stories themselves are wonderfully interesting and full of magic and history! At the end of each story, there are some questions to prompt discussion and get the reader thinking about the choices made by the characters in the story.
Each story has a full-page illustration in bright colors. The artwork has bold lines and an energetic style similar to the cover. I love how the art enhances each story, and conjures up fantasy images of olden days when fairies and giants roamed the earth.
I enjoyed this book so much! It would be perfect to read aloud to a child and share the stories, and then answer the discussion questions together.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
The stories themselves are wonderfully interesting and full of magic and history! At the end of each story, there are some questions to prompt discussion and get the reader thinking about the choices made by the characters in the story.
Each story has a full-page illustration in bright colors. The artwork has bold lines and an energetic style similar to the cover. I love how the art enhances each story, and conjures up fantasy images of olden days when fairies and giants roamed the earth.
I enjoyed this book so much! It would be perfect to read aloud to a child and share the stories, and then answer the discussion questions together.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
June 6, 2020
I have a doctoral minor in folklore which, in part, means that I like to collect folklore of all types. This book was not as good as I hoped but it wasn't horrible either.
The Good Things: Unique images for each story. Celtic culture the story is derived from clearly labeled after story title. Glossary to help explain some words and pronunciations. Appearance of some known Celtic heroes and entities. Decent though brief introduction that indicates that author Christopher Pinard knows something about folklore and Celtic culture.
The Less than Ideal Things: Unnecessary and often confusing questions at the end of each story. Glossary didn't have all the unknown words and the pronunciations could have easily put put into the text of the stories. Subtitle is misleading because the most common entities other than people were elves and witches. Few of the stories are myths; most are legends or fairytale categories of Folklore.
I was sent a free copy of this book by Rockridge Press in the hopes that I would write a review; no other form of compensation was received for my evaluation.
The Good Things: Unique images for each story. Celtic culture the story is derived from clearly labeled after story title. Glossary to help explain some words and pronunciations. Appearance of some known Celtic heroes and entities. Decent though brief introduction that indicates that author Christopher Pinard knows something about folklore and Celtic culture.
The Less than Ideal Things: Unnecessary and often confusing questions at the end of each story. Glossary didn't have all the unknown words and the pronunciations could have easily put put into the text of the stories. Subtitle is misleading because the most common entities other than people were elves and witches. Few of the stories are myths; most are legends or fairytale categories of Folklore.
I was sent a free copy of this book by Rockridge Press in the hopes that I would write a review; no other form of compensation was received for my evaluation.
May 3, 2020
If you have Celtic heritage, like I do, then you probably have wondered about these things. I thought these myths were all about Ireland, but the author set me straight by telling tales from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. That was new to me.
Pinard shares, “The Celtic people lived close to the natural world surrounded by vast wilderness. Because of this, it was common for Celtic myths and folklore to be filled with stories of adventure and in the mountains, forests, and sea. What these tales symbolize is how life is an adventure and how in growing up we battle our inner monsters, overcome challenges, and find out who we really are. It is a journey of self-discovery.”
The “journey of self-discovery” is really the highlight of the book. At the end of each chapter the author asks pertinent questions trying to get the reader to think about the moral and ethical issues portrayed in each. His questions are insightful and will help parents who read these stories with their children help their children grow and mature.
Upon request the publisher sent me a copy of the book to review.
Pinard shares, “The Celtic people lived close to the natural world surrounded by vast wilderness. Because of this, it was common for Celtic myths and folklore to be filled with stories of adventure and in the mountains, forests, and sea. What these tales symbolize is how life is an adventure and how in growing up we battle our inner monsters, overcome challenges, and find out who we really are. It is a journey of self-discovery.”
The “journey of self-discovery” is really the highlight of the book. At the end of each chapter the author asks pertinent questions trying to get the reader to think about the moral and ethical issues portrayed in each. His questions are insightful and will help parents who read these stories with their children help their children grow and mature.
Upon request the publisher sent me a copy of the book to review.
June 3, 2020
Celtic Mythology for Kids is a delightful book of tales from Celtic lands. Christopher S. Pinard divides the 20 myths into 4 sections: Mischief Makers and Monstrous Fakers, For Love Lone, Landscapes in Celtic Folklore, and Into the Wide and Wild World. 9 of the tales are from Scotland, 7 from Ireland, 2 are from Brittany, and 2 are from Wales. Some of these tales I would describe more appropriately as faery tales, though I guess in the end that lies under the large umbrella of mythology. I appreciated that the book began with the faery tales and veered to more traditional mythology later on. We learn about the famous Giant's Causeway and gods Lugh and Mannanan, and we learn about witches and fairies and monsters, oh my! While one reviewer found the questions clunky, I find them entirely optional. If I were to use this book to read to a group of children, I too would skip the questions and allow the story to wash over them and teach them as it may. It's the Celtic way. A well-done, enjoyable volume. Thank you to Callisto for the review copy.
April 28, 2020
Imaginations will grow bold as they wander through tales of old in "Celtic Mythology for Kids: Tales of Selkies, Giants, and the Sea". Author Christopher S. Pinard offers a collection of twenty various myths of ancient Celtic folklore--featuring giants, fairies, witches, magical queens, and more. The book contains four sections: "Mischief Makers and Monstrous Fakers"; "For Love Alone"; "Landscapes in Celtic Folklore"; and "Into the Wide and Wild World". Stories told include: "Thomas the Rhymer"; "The Witch of Loch Isle"; "The Seal Catcher and the Selkie"; "The Giant's Causeway"; "Elidor in the Kingdom of the Little People"; and others. To make this mythological journey even more intriguing, the author has included a map of the British Isles, discussion questions at the end of each story, and glossary of Celtic terms. Suggested for ages 8 to 12, but younger and older readers will also be entertained.
Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers
Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers
May 29, 2020
Celtic Mythology for Kids: Tales of Selkies, Giants, and the Sea by Chris Pinard features twenty famous and lesser-known myths from places like Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany, this is your introduction to a faraway world of wonder. Colorful illustrations begin every myth. There is a glossary of Celtic mythology terms to better understand words like banshee, brownie, and selkie.
Celtic Mythology for Kids is not an introduction to Celtic mythology, which is what I was hoping for from the title. It is a selection of stories from the region, with questions at the end of each story, basically asking about the moral of the story. I know that fairy tales and oral tradition often are morality tales, or at least started that way, but I was rather hoping for more information about the creatures unique to the Celtic mythos than stories and questions that seem pointed at making readers behave. I wanted to learn more about a mythology and was disappointed with what I found.
Celtic Mythology for Kids is not an introduction to Celtic mythology, which is what I was hoping for from the title. It is a selection of stories from the region, with questions at the end of each story, basically asking about the moral of the story. I know that fairy tales and oral tradition often are morality tales, or at least started that way, but I was rather hoping for more information about the creatures unique to the Celtic mythos than stories and questions that seem pointed at making readers behave. I wanted to learn more about a mythology and was disappointed with what I found.
March 17, 2022
We enjoyed reading this collection of Celtic myths from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Brittany. The book includes twenty tales, each of which was the perfect length for reading aloud. At the end of each tale was a box "Behind the Hogneys, Hounds, and Witches - questions to think about" in which the author encourages further discussion. As I utilized this book for a Celtic unit study with my children, I very much appreciated that addition. My only small complaint is that I would have liked to see more illustrations throughout, and of a more whimsical nature and/or in a Celtic art style. The illustrations in this were few, with sharp angles and dark/flat colors that just didn't add much to the experience, from my personal perspective. Otherwise, a wonderful addition to our home library!
May 8, 2020
Many people grow up learning about Greek and Roman mythology but, of course, many cultures have their stories of heroes/heroines and gods/goddesses. This book compiles many of these stories that are Celtic in origin.
Children who read or have the stories read to them will spend time with giants, fairies, witches, selkies and more. The stories are well told and each ends with a short section of things to think about. The stories are divided into four topics including mischief makers and monstrous fakers, for love alone, landscapes in Celtic folklore and into the wide and wild world. Enjoy these exciting tales from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Brittany.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
Children who read or have the stories read to them will spend time with giants, fairies, witches, selkies and more. The stories are well told and each ends with a short section of things to think about. The stories are divided into four topics including mischief makers and monstrous fakers, for love alone, landscapes in Celtic folklore and into the wide and wild world. Enjoy these exciting tales from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Brittany.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2020
Thank you Callisto Publisher's Club and Rockridge Press for this free book! The following review contains my honest opinions.
This book is divided into 4 sections containing 5 stories each. Each story ends with 3 or 4 questions to think about relating to the story. There is a glossary in the back of the book that contains pronunciation guides which I found helpful.
I found the stories to be very interesting and well written. I did not like the illustrations and felt both the style and color choice lent the pictures a quality that could be frightening to younger children (even when the stories aren't particularly scary).
This book is divided into 4 sections containing 5 stories each. Each story ends with 3 or 4 questions to think about relating to the story. There is a glossary in the back of the book that contains pronunciation guides which I found helpful.
I found the stories to be very interesting and well written. I did not like the illustrations and felt both the style and color choice lent the pictures a quality that could be frightening to younger children (even when the stories aren't particularly scary).
July 18, 2020
I really enjoyed this book the artwork is wonderful and on point for children. I love that the author did not "write down" to children. The vocabulary and terminology is mature while remaining appropriate for upper elementary and middle school children and includes a glossary, thoroughly explaining all these unfamiliar words and a list of resources for further study if desired.
Very well written book, great stories for children with comprehensive questions after each story to help children engage and work on their comprehension. Overall this is a fantastic book.
I received this book from Callisto Publishing and Rockridge Press for an honest review.
Very well written book, great stories for children with comprehensive questions after each story to help children engage and work on their comprehension. Overall this is a fantastic book.
I received this book from Callisto Publishing and Rockridge Press for an honest review.
April 30, 2025
I really wanted to like this book. I love mythology and thought this would be a fun read for me, and for my children.
There is a full page of art for each story, and a very simple glossary at the back.
My kids (10&12) didn’t really enjoy the stories I read them and while I finished the book, I won’t be reading any more to them.
The stories sometimes felt disjointed, and some needed another solid edit as they had confusing details (in one story, a man joined another man on his horse, they left the horse for the next part of the adventure, returned, and then rode away on the horses, plural - where did the second horse come from?).
There is a full page of art for each story, and a very simple glossary at the back.
My kids (10&12) didn’t really enjoy the stories I read them and while I finished the book, I won’t be reading any more to them.
The stories sometimes felt disjointed, and some needed another solid edit as they had confusing details (in one story, a man joined another man on his horse, they left the horse for the next part of the adventure, returned, and then rode away on the horses, plural - where did the second horse come from?).
April 26, 2020
*I received a free advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.*
I breezed through this book - 20 Celtic tales, each with a full colour illustration, discussion questions, and large print. I love Celtic lore and this did not disappoint. It would be perfect for reading clubs, classroom activities, or bedtime stories! It's geared towards children 8-12 but I think younger children would enjoy some of the stories as well, provided an adult can answer their questions.
I breezed through this book - 20 Celtic tales, each with a full colour illustration, discussion questions, and large print. I love Celtic lore and this did not disappoint. It would be perfect for reading clubs, classroom activities, or bedtime stories! It's geared towards children 8-12 but I think younger children would enjoy some of the stories as well, provided an adult can answer their questions.
May 12, 2020
Concisely told tales, which are pretty well done. The main drawback is the little morality-tale style questions at the end of each story. "Do you think so and so should have kept his promise? Was the punishment fair?" etc. It really brings you out of the magical story and into reality with a jerk, and interrupts the joy of reading fairy tales quite a bit.
May 14, 2020
I love learning and reading about different world mythologies. I will read any book about any myths and legends despite the reading level or recommended age group. Celtic Mythology for Kids by Chris Pinard was so fun to read and was at a reading level that would help kids understand (as it states in the title "for kids") or adults that just like learning about the subject (such as myself).
August 19, 2020
I read this book to third grade students; they enjoyed it and spent a lot of time wondering about the different myths and stories. The questions at the end of each story were wonderful for starting discussion! I wish there were more illustrations, but otherwise this is a perfectly lovely book of myths at an elementary-reader appropriate level.
June 12, 2020
My daughter is studying folk stories for her social studies class so we picked this book up. She really enjoyed the stories and even as we finished up today she was asking if we could start reading it over.
August 11, 2021
Love this book!
I enjoyed reading and learning about the Celts and their stories. Every individual stories was amazing and beautiful in their own way. My favorites were quite similar to the fairy tales of Rumpelkeistein and Jack & the Beanstalk.
I enjoyed reading and learning about the Celts and their stories. Every individual stories was amazing and beautiful in their own way. My favorites were quite similar to the fairy tales of Rumpelkeistein and Jack & the Beanstalk.
January 5, 2022
An interesting collection. Each story has discussion question which are a bit simplistic but nice to start conversations with kids (something that grown ups should be doing more especially considering how much media kids are consuming).
May 5, 2020
I received a complimentary copy.
Get ready to go on an adventure and have even more fun if you are sharing this book with kids.
Get ready to go on an adventure and have even more fun if you are sharing this book with kids.
November 1, 2021
*received for free from netgalley for honest review* really great kids book! would totally buy for kids, loved reading it!
November 28, 2024
This book has good illustrations and the stories were good.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews