Market Day

by Eve Bunting, Holly Berry (Illustrator)

Tess and Wee Boy observe the farm animals, wonder at the sword-swallower, hear playing of pipes, and experience all the excitement of a country fair in Ireland

Genres: Picture Books, Economics, Realistic Fiction, Cultural, Childrens, Family, Friendship

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

Also known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.

Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.

Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.

In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.

Reviews

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining tale about children exploring a market day in Ireland. The illustrations are nicely detailed and the market scenes are filled with interesting characters and fascinating things to buy.

We listened to a friend read this book out loud to her seven-year-old son during a relaxing vacation weekend at the lake.

[Gail Barge]

I was a bit confused while I was reading this book. Then I noticed that Eve Bunting grew up in Ireland and the story started to make more sense. The interesting people the young girls meets in the story are quite intriguing. I would use this book in a multicultural study about Ireland and look up some of the customs and traditions included in the book about the Irish community. This book could be used when talking about customs in students own community.

[Lady reading under the Willow · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pictures and story are cute, and the friendship and encouragement between the two kids is sweet. However, there is content that is potentially objectionable.

The girl deceives and disobeys her mother when she is told "not to get sweeties" at the market. Later, she and her friend visit a fortune teller and spend the last of the day's money on the boy's fortune. In context, it was a kind gesture, because the boy had a developmental delay in his growth and was concerned that he would never grow. "Am I big?" He asks the lady as she looks into the crystal ball. "Big and brave as you'll ever need to be," she tells him. He comes away encouraged and the friend is glad she spent her last ha'penny on the fortune.

This book does give a little bit of a cultural snapshot of Ireland, and if it weren't for those two things mentioned above, or if they had been handled differently, I would have liked this.

[Kathy Piselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bunting provides the phrase "sick as a cormorant" and explains why you have to wear Wellies to the Donegal market in her tale of two children who spend their pennies on kindnesses for others. "I never buy the same thing twice" says the child narrator. People are "less crabby" on market day, in spite of the confusion generated by a sword swallower, a man who walks barefoot on hot coals, and a gypsy fortuneteller. "People have to go through things," her mother explains of the fortuneteller's predictions "and sometimes it's the hope that keeps them going." The illustrator, with the intriguing name of Holly Berry, gets such details as the oddly shaped pupils of the goats, markings on the sheep, and smooth rounded top of a loaf of bread into her colorful artwork.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute! Shows the buzz and excitement of two children visiting the busy market in a town in Ireland.

[Kevin M. Labadessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite children’s book. It always brings me back to a simpler time in Ireland.

[Jeani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice book!

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fortunes are made, and fortunes are told at a busy outdoor market in Ireland.
Fun story with terrific illustrations.

[Carolynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tess and her friend Wee Boy spend a glorious day at the market, based on Eve Bunting's childhood experiences in Ireland. Colorful pictures full of detail.Pair with Ted Lewin's Market!, with marketplaces around the world.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky, fun, and sweet. Wish I had a copy!

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

The images are busy but undynamic once you consider the richness in storytelling offered by the text.

[Amanda Hlava]

Market