This is our third week in The Do Not Read Report. The idea behind these posts is to share the books that I really did not want my kids to read. The book series this week was one which I unknowingly walk my kids right into during read aloud time.
I had purchased these books after seeing them recommended somewhere. (I really cannot remember where.) We sat down and everyone was excited. My kids absolutely love Celtic legend and the tales and history surrounding the Book of Kells.
But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me introduce the book first.
THIS WEEK’S BOOK SERIES:
Pangur Ban Celtic Fantasies Series by Fay Sampson
- Pangur Ban The White Cat
- Finnglas of the Horses
- Finnglas and the Stones of Choosing
- Shape-Shifter: The Naming of Pangur Ban
- The Serpent of Senargad
- The White Horse is Running
Summary: This is the story of Princess Finglas, Niall, and Pangur Ban the cat who have adventures in and around many of the Celtic myths and fables.
Go into this series with your eyes wide open. It is not a gentle story.
This book series is suggested as a beginning reader for young children by the publisher.
CONTAINS:
- Brutal Death: In the first few pages of the first book, a young child is beaten to death by Niall because he is mad at Pangur Ban for knocking the ink well over. That dead boy turns out to be Princess Finglas’ brother, but somehow it turns out OK and Niall and Princess Finglas have several books filled with adventures together.
My kids, both teens at the time, were absolutely horrified at the brutality of that death. The main character, Niall reacted as a psychopath would with so little emotion. Just as one might squish a cockroach crawling across the floor.
About the author
Fay Sampson has a web site with lots of information about this and other series she has written. Among the samples from the books I discovered on his site an area with illustrations he made while writing the stories in this series.