Tread Softly

‘Children’s Book of the Week’ lovely … a delight for both parents and children

-- Sunday Times Ireland

A treasure trove of some of Ireland’s best-loved poets, this collection celebrates the magic of the written word in poetic form. While readers may recognise some famous names like WB Yeats, Katharine Tynan, Oscar Wilde, and Eva Gore-Booth, the selection of poems are a mixture of familiar classics and lesser-known verses. Erin Brown’s sumptuous illustrations enhance the sense wonderment in what would make a beautiful keepsake gift for any child

-- Irish Examiner

An attractive hardback collection of well-known Irish poems, from Pangur Ban, to The Lake Isle of Innisfree and The Little Waves of Breffny. Each poem is illustrated in glowing colour, with lots of detail to draw young eyes in. Adults will love the nostalgic range of verse from our rich poetic past, children will enjoy the rhythm and rhyme and the stories that many of the poems paint with their words

-- Irish Independent, Sarah Webb

gives us 19 carefully curated poems from the masters. They were not explicitly written for children, but rather for whoever reads them, child or adult. And each one is truly magical. They take us away and make us fully present, at once. From familiar voices like Yeats (The Lake Isle of Innisfree), Joyce (On the Beach at Fontana), Oscar Wilde (Les Ballons) and Patrick Pearse (The Wayfarer), the poems create a wandering path through the world and life. They speak of nature, towns, gentle escape, keen observances ... Each is accompanied by sensitive, exquisite illustrations that captured the time, space and feel of each. To have these poems put together in this gorgeous picture book for children is a gift for a lifetime of joy. This is one to have and hold. And to read, over and over, and remember ... I have to mention my very favourite poem in this collection. The Scholar and His Cat, Pangur Bán. Written in the margins of an illuminated manuscript more than a thousand years ago by an anonymous Irish Monk, I was utterly delighted to find this one here. I’d buy it just for this!

-- Fallen Star Stories

A brilliantly selected collection of some of Ireland’s most well-loved poems, carefully curated for the enjoyment of readers young and old … the magic of the poetry is further brought to life on the page by the mesmerising illustrations used to showcase the story told by each poem … the reader is guided through the poems not only by the illustrations, but also by enlightening facts, useful definitions and contextual information

-- Children's Books Ireland’s Annual Reading Guide 2023

gives us 19 carefully curated poems from the masters. They were not explicitly written for children, but rather for whoever reads them, child or adult. And each one is truly magical. They take us away and make us fully present, at once. From familiar voices like Yeats (The Lake Isle of Innisfree), Joyce (On the Beach at Fontana), Oscar Wilde (Les Ballons) and Patrick Pearse (The Wayfarer), the poems create a wandering path through the world and life. The speak of nature, towns, gentle escape, keen observances … Each is accompanied by sensitive, exquisite illustrations that captured the time, space and feel of each. To have these poems put together in this gorgeous picture book for children is a gift for a lifetime of joy. This is one to have and hold. And to read, over and over, and remember … I have to mention my very favourite poem in this collection. The Scholar and His Cat, Pangur Bán. Written in the margins of an illuminated manuscript more than a thousand years ago by an anonymous Irish Monk, I was utterly delighted to find this one here. I’d buy it just for this

-- Fallen Star Stories

a literary classic!

-- Ireland’s Own Christmas Annual

the very best in Irish children’s books published in 2023 ... a collection of some of Ireland’s most well-loved poems accompanied by mesmerising illustrations and useful contextual information

-- RTEJr

will instantly appeal across the generations … the illustrations, so vibrant and full of life, colour, seemingly bursting with enthusiasm for their subjects and rightly so. Whilst the words of these master poets may sound familiar in some instances and new in others it is their combination with the illustrations that makes this book stand out, that will draw new audiences into a journey of poetic discoveries … There are snowy scenes, watery scenes and rich woodland scenes which beg to transform from poem to fairytale, continuing to capture the magic the words evoke. Long and short, joyful, magical; I could go on, for this collection really does encourage us to tread softly, to look at the world around us in a new light and to look more closely at the poetic beauty that is both language and illustration

-- Armadillo Magazine

In this book of poetry, editor Nicola Reddy and illustrator Erin Brown work together beautifully to make some of Ireland’s most celebrated writers more accessible to a younger audience. The tone of the book is set out from the start with Brown’s delicately illustrated cover conjuring up images of fairytales and Celtic myths which offers the reader hints of what lies inside. Once inside, Nicola Reddy talks about the joy of discovering poems that ‘grow and change with the reader’ and how even those poems which may at first seem ‘challenging or obscure’, can ignite the interest of the reader when presented in the right way. Well, presenting poems in the right way is exactly what Tread Softly does. The poems selected by Reddy offer the perfect introduction to Irish writers that many younger readers may not be naturally drawn to. The snippets of information that accompany each poem provide lovely little insights into these writers, which helps to further pique the reader’s interest. While Brown’s enchanting illustrations manage to be both timeless and contemporary, Les Ballons by Oscar Wilde, A Mayo Love Song by Alice Milligan, and The Scholar and His Cat by Pangur Bán being perfect examples. I think the real beauty of this book is that it offers the young reader a perfect transition from reading primary school level poetry, into the more challenging world of studying secondary school English, while also helping to develop a love of poetry

-- childrensbooksireland.ie

soft, colourful, wonderfully detailed illustrations accompany each poem, meaning this will hold the attention of even younger children ... This is a book I'll come back to again and again 

-- ReadandReviews

We were delighted in our class to be given the chance to review such a beautiful book. Tread Softly, Classic Irish Poems for Children gathers some of Ireland’s most cherished poems in this anthology. Beautiful illustrations by Erin Brown bring these poems to life. This book became part of our 5th class daily life. We used it as a great way to transition between subjects also. One student brought it home and her mother commended it by saying it reignited her daughter’s interest in poetry! I would highly recommend this book for senior classes. It would also make a lovely Christmas gift for a primary school child. I would give it 10/10! - By Sarah Tarrant, Co. Cork

-- Seomra Ranga

a perfect way to introduce classic Irish poetry … edited thoughtfully by Nicola Reddy and illustrated beautifully by Erin Brown, this book is perfect for engaging older children in the written word and the beauty of poetry … it includes poems in a broad spectrum of styles and subject matters, something to suit all tastes. The illustrations gorgeously compliment the poetry and make it very appealing for children … there are many ways this could be linked with art, music, history and Gaeilge - Orla Ni Fhicheallaigh, Co. Dublin

-- InTouch Maga