Smoky and the Feast of Mabon

by Catherynne M. Valente

Hardcover, 2010

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Collection

Publication

Magical Child Books (2010), Library Binding, 32 pages

Description

Upset at the sight of her dying flowers, Smoky goes into the woods where she has always felt safe. Now she's lost! What is that glow in the woods before her? Follow a little girl as she discovers the meaning of Mabon in the wood behind her house, where a magical meal awaits her between the old year and the new year. The newest addition to the Magical Child Story collection, Smoky and the Feast of Mabon is a mystical and whimsical story with the flavor of an old fashioned fairy tale. A perfect book for reading together with your children, and for introducing the meaning of Mabon to the youngest family members.

User reviews

LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
Dismayed at the death of her colorful flowers, Smoky wanders into the woods one autumn day, where she happens upon Lady Equinox's banquet table, and, in addition to being royally feasted, learns a little about the passing of the seasons and the cycle of the year. This new-found knowledge, and her
Show More
faith that the death of the old year will be followed by the birth of the new, reconcile Smoky to the changes she sees around her...

A picture-book celebration of the Feast of Mabon - the Wiccan holiday associated with the Autumnal Equinox - this is the first explicitly Pagan children's book I have come across, and I'm very glad, for that reason, to have read it. Although it is one of the top ten religious persuasions here in the United States, modern (or neo-) paganism is not something I often see addressed in children's literature, making the publication of Smoky and the Feast of Mabon a welcome event. I can't say that either story or illustrations particularly "wowed" me - the narrative felt a little forced, and the artwork, though colorful, was a little too cartoonish for my taste - but given the dearth of other materials with this theme, I would still recommend this one to all Pagan parents looking for holiday tales for their children, as well as young readers from other traditions, who are interested in learning more about what Pagans actually believe.
Show Less

Physical description

32 p.; 9 inches

ISBN

0979683467 / 9780979683466
Page: 0.7557 seconds