lovelybookshelf
Written on Mar 11, 2013
The illustrations looked fantastic in the ebook version, very clear and colorful. However, I wasn't impressed by the formatting (I was viewing an epub on my Nook Tablet, so other formats/devices may be different). The text was completely flush left, with no margin whatsoever between the edge of the screen and the text. Often the page's text fit underneath the illustration, but there were a number of times when one or two sentences spilled over to a new page, which otherwise remained blank. If I veered from the publisher's default settings and fiddled with the margins or font size, some of the text actually cut off. I found myself wishing the images were just a tad smaller so all of its accompanying text fit on the same page.
The main story is Saint Patrick's biography, which is followed by five legends about him. Each of these legends is very brief, only about 3-5 sentences each, accompanied by a single illustration summarizing the story. This layout gives a nice option for very young children, who might not be ready to sit and listen to the main portion of the book.
Formatting issues aside, this book is by Tomie dePaola; of course it's wonderful! The actual content is everything you'd expect when you open a dePaola book: vivid and interesting illustrations, and a well-written story that captivates young readers.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I did not receive any other compensation for this review.