Additional information
by Magdalena Zuljevic (Illustrator), Emer C. Martin (Author)
Pooka - Most people don't realize that modern day Halloween is derived from an ancient Irish festival that was brought over to the United States by Irish immigrants. Emer Martin's new book is a modern take on an ancient Irish folktale, launching just in time for Halloween. From the old Irish 'Puca, which means 'goblin', a Pooka is a shape-shifter and can take any form it chooses but usually it is seen in the form of a dog, rabbit, goat, goblin or even an old man. Traditionally a Pooka is seen as a dark, sleek horse with a long wild flowing mane and luminescent golden eyes. The central character in Pooka is Orla, a troubled young girl who often creates her own problems. When the mysterious, playful Pooka takes her on a wild ride up to the moon where she meets an even more-troubled witch, they all need to learn the art of cooperation so they can safely make it back to earth.
Author Biography
Emer Martin is a Dubliner. Her first novel Breakfast in Babylon won Book of the Year 1996 in her native Ireland. Houghton Mifflin released Breakfast in Babylon in the U.S. in 1997. More Bread Or I'll Appear, her second novel was published internationally in 1999. Emer studied painting in New York and has had two sell-out solo shows of her paintings at the Origin Gallery in Dublin. Her book, Baby Zero, was published March 2007 and internationally in 2014. Emer was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 2000. She has two young daughters and lives between the jungles of Co. Meath, Ireland and the valleys of Silicon in California. She founded the independent publishing cooperative Rawmeash. This is her second children's book. Magdalena Zuljevic is also known as Magi. Born and raised in Croatia, Magdalena studied at The Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, earning a BFA in Art education. After experimenting with sculpting and oil painting, she decided that illustration was her true calling. Now Magi specializes in illustrating for the children's market. She currently lives with her husband, two children and her parrot Cody in Sunnyvale, C.A. where she works as a graphic designer. See what she is up to at www.pencilfairy.com.
