Beanie the Bansheenie by Eoin Colfer
Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl, and Steve McCarthy, author and illustrator of the award-winning The Wilderness, join forces to turn a familiar myth of Irish folklore into a truly powerful, unforgettable and universal story of love, perseverance and friendship against all odds. Banshees are supernatural Irish harbingers of doom, but … where do they come from? The answer: they grow in pods on the prickly gorse bush. The sole job of a baby banshee, a "bansheenie" as they are called, is to bond with a human.
Once bonded, they know everything about that person. Most importantly … when they will die. Our bansheenie, named Beanie, is no ordinary herald of death.
When she sees her person, a little girl called Rose, she decides to change her own – and Rose’s – fate and instead of delivering bad news, Beanie wants to protect Rose and her family. When her banshee's howl of doom won't work, she must draw power and strength from the ancient secrets and hidden networks of the natural world around her. She must create a brand new sound, a new way of being in the world that will change everything.
Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl, and Steve McCarthy, author and illustrator of the award-winning The Wilderness, join forces to turn a familiar myth of Irish folklore into a truly powerful, unforgettable and universal story of love, perseverance and friendship against all odds. Banshees are supernatural Irish harbingers of doom, but … where do they come from? The answer: they grow in pods on the prickly gorse bush. The sole job of a baby banshee, a "bansheenie" as they are called, is to bond with a human.
Once bonded, they know everything about that person. Most importantly … when they will die. Our bansheenie, named Beanie, is no ordinary herald of death.
When she sees her person, a little girl called Rose, she decides to change her own – and Rose’s – fate and instead of delivering bad news, Beanie wants to protect Rose and her family. When her banshee's howl of doom won't work, she must draw power and strength from the ancient secrets and hidden networks of the natural world around her. She must create a brand new sound, a new way of being in the world that will change everything.
Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl, and Steve McCarthy, author and illustrator of the award-winning The Wilderness, join forces to turn a familiar myth of Irish folklore into a truly powerful, unforgettable and universal story of love, perseverance and friendship against all odds. Banshees are supernatural Irish harbingers of doom, but … where do they come from? The answer: they grow in pods on the prickly gorse bush. The sole job of a baby banshee, a "bansheenie" as they are called, is to bond with a human.
Once bonded, they know everything about that person. Most importantly … when they will die. Our bansheenie, named Beanie, is no ordinary herald of death.
When she sees her person, a little girl called Rose, she decides to change her own – and Rose’s – fate and instead of delivering bad news, Beanie wants to protect Rose and her family. When her banshee's howl of doom won't work, she must draw power and strength from the ancient secrets and hidden networks of the natural world around her. She must create a brand new sound, a new way of being in the world that will change everything.
About the Author
Eoin Colfer is the New York Times bestselling author of the children’s fantasy series Artemis Fowl. His other notable works include Cloud Babies, illustrated by Chris Judge, The Dog Who Lost His Bark, Half Moon Investigations, Airman and The Supernaturalist, and he has sold over twenty million books worldwide. He was the Irish Children’s Laureate, the winner of the Evergreen Young Adult Book Award, and won the Irish Children’s Book of the Year Award for his story Imaginary Fred, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children. You can visit him online at www.eoincolfer.com and on Instagram as @eoincolfer.
About the Illustrator
Steve McCarthy is an Irish designer, illustrator, and bearded gentleman. His style is bold, colourful and inspired by humour and wit. Steve was home-schooled and had a very free childhood, which was the inspiration behind his debut author-illustrator title The Wilderness, which won the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards 2023 honour award for illustration. His poetry anthology with Sarah Webb, A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea was the 2017 Children’s Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. Steve comes from working as a background designer, most notably for the animated feature film Song of the Sea, which was nominated for an academy award in 2015. He lives in south east London. Find Steve online at www.mrstevemccarthy.com, and on Twitter and Instagram as @mrstevemccarthy.
Praise for Beanie the Bansheenie
“Colfer and McCarthy are a dazzling duo in this endlessly entertaining retelling of banshee folklore. McCarthy’s illustrations elevate this story, making it a genuine work of art filled with familiar Irish iconography that readers will adore.”
— The Irish Examiner
“[a] touching and funny story […] The stunning illustrations conjure up a mysterious, magical world.”
— Daily Mail
“In this delightfully whimsical tale, Colfer honours some of the darker aspects of Irish folklore while also leaving sensitive readers feeling empowered, by reflecting how beautiful life (and death) can be when we care for one another.”
— ‘The Best Irish Children’s Books 2024,’ The Sunday Times (Ireland)
“Beanie the Bansheenie takes a dark area of Irish folklore and adapts it into an almost Coraline-esque fantasy that will enthral readers of any age (adults included!). The story, while rooted in Irish folklore, is beaming with quirky originality, forming a dynamic plot. Beautifully illustrated, the spreads are begging to be stared at until you’ve absorbed every tiny detail.”
— Children's Books Ireland
“Beaming with quirky originality, with plenty of twists, turns and surprises that quickly click into place to form a dynamic plot. Beautifully illustrated, subtle nods allude to both the author and illustrator’s past books, with sprinkles of pop culture references that will have you glued to the page. Beanie the Bansheenietakes a dark area of Irish folklore and adapts into an almost Coraline-esque fantasy that will enthral readers of every age!”
— RTE Ireland
Publisher: Walker Books
Date Published: 31 October 2024
Hardback, 64 pages
ISBN: 9781529513172
