Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka

by Tomie dePaola, Tomie dePaola (Illustrator)

Overview

When Jamie O'Rourke's wife leaves him alone for a week, it's up to Jamie to do the housework. But Jamie isn't just the laziest man in Ireland, he's also the messiest! When a magical pooka arrives unexpectedly and starts to do the dishes and sweep the house, Jamie thinks that maybe he's the luckiest man in Ireland as well. But will Jamie's good fortune-and his pooka's housekeeping-last? Young readers will be giggling through Tomie dePaola's delightfully funny sequel to Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato.

"DePaola's jaunty storytelling pace and his snappy Irish phrases give this tale extra sparkle." Publishers Weekly, starred review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698119246
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	01/14/2002
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.06(w) x 10.06(h) x 0.13(d)
Lexile:	AD810L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934, to a family of Irish and Italian background. His determination to create books for children led to a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and an MFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California. His particular way with color, line, detail, and design have earned him many of the most prestigious awards in his field, among them a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona, the Smithsonian Medal, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for his "singular attainment in children's literature," the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal for his "continued distinguished contribution," and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion. He was also the 1990 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration, and received the Children's Literature Legacy Award for lifetime contribution to children's literature in 2011.
DePaola has published almost 200 children's books in 15 different countries over the past 30 years. Among his most well-known titles are the Strega Nona series, 26 Fairmount Avenue, and The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush.
DePaola lives in an interesting house in New Hampshire with his four dogs. His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn.

Hometown:

Connecticut and New Hampshire

Date of Birth:

September 15, 1935

Place of Birth:

Meriden, CT

Website:

http://www.tomie.com/main.html

Editorial Reviews

In a starred review, PW wrote, "Lazy but lovable Jamie O'Rourke returns in this dandy and original Irish folktale." Ages 4-6. (Jan.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

K-Gr 4-Still no more energetic than in Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato (Putnam, 1992), the laziest man in Ireland has the perfect plan for keeping his cottage tidy while his wife is away-he'll simply stay in bed and get up only to eat. When his pals arrive with a jug of cider and hearty appetites, Jamie finds himself with a messy cottage and the exhausting prospect of cleaning up. During the night, a pooka comes and clears away all evidence of the evening's party. The donkeylike creature returns each night to tidy up. Curious, Jamie asks why he is being so kind. He explains that he is being punished for laziness in a past life. Jamie is moved to perform a kind deed in return, which he immediately regrets-the pooka is now free and the indolent man is left alone just in time for Eileen to return to the mess. In some scenes, dePaola's liquid acrylic paintings spill over their frames onto the white space surrounding them. Particularly frenzied activity, like the pooka's midnight house cleaning, is depicted in multiple frames that resemble a comic strip. The pooka, with his wild yellow eyes and toothy grimace, looks sinister enough to satisfy young readers who enjoy a scare, while Jamie's cat's and dog's facial expressions reflect their owner's changing moods. A concluding author's note explaining the story's origins in Irish folklore is a satisfying addition to an enjoyable original tale.-Ginny Gustin, Santa Monica Public Library, CA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

School Library Journal

Jamie's wife leaves him for a week and all he has to do is keep the house clean: not a small challenge for the messiest man in Ireland -- and the laziest. A magical pooka may be able to help -- or perhaps not, in this fun story.

Midwest Book Review

Use this laughable read-aloud, with its moment-by-moment illustrations and its message against laziness, as a fine introduction to the pookas of literature.
—Bookbag Magazine

Bonnie Fowler