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Celebrating Irish Children’s Books | Online School and Family Book Festival.
WonderFest is over for 2021. Thank you to everyone who took part. See you in 2022!

Festival books

Supported by the Arts Council of Ireland - Literature

The Haunted Lake

In famed author-illustrator P.J. Lynch’s gorgeous tale, he creates two worlds—underwater and above—to tell an epic and haunting love story.

Jacob and his father are the only people who fish Lake Spetzia, which was formed when the river was dammed and their town was flooded. The villagers say the lake is haunted, but Jacob and his father don’t want to leave, because Jacob’s mother is buried in the cemetery below the water. As Jacob grows up, a village girl named Ellen falls in love with him, and he with her. But before they are married, Jacob disappears—lured underwater by the ghosts who inhabit the sunken village. Years go by, with Jacob held captive by the watery spirits and Ellen never giving up hope that she will find him, until a fateful night when Jacob sees the light of Ellen’s boat floating above. Can he break free and reach the surface? Masterful illustrations alive with achingly expressive characters and eerie underwater light bring readers into acclaimed creator P.J. Lynch’s rich world of love, loss, and hope.

“Watercolor and gouache art plays effectively with light as it shimmers along the top of the lake or creepily glows from under it, and the fluid greenish gloom of the underwater village contrasts with the hearty Irish landscape above. This could be an entertaining read for youngsters who warm to folkloric supernatural stories with just enough chill to make the happy ending satisfying.”

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Mr. Lynch’s mesmerizing watercolor and gouache paintings are divided between the 19th-century world above Lake Spetzia and the village beneath it that was years ago drowned to create a reservoir… his pictures are masterly. Readers ages 7-12 will not soon forget these creepy and stirring scenes.”

The Wall Street Journal
Buy The Book

Author

PJ Lynch

Illustrator

Publisher

Walker

Related events in the festival

Lunchtime Tales of Wonder with PJ Lynch, Kieran Fanning, Marianne McShane and Lindsay J Sedgwick

Connect with Wonderfest online

Wonderfest Wonderfest · 4 months ago
@WonderFestIre
This looks terrific - we'll be there! A must for any children's writers or illustrators and anyone who wants to find out more about children's books. https://t.co/6LtaWDfkBp
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Sarah Webb is Away Writing in July@sarahwebbishere
Join us at the next online #ChildrensBookSalon on Thurs 24 Feb 7.30pm with
@HGold_author
@gerrydalyart
@Erika_McGann
@markbradleyart + @KatiaCotton
talking about their new books.
A must for all who love children's books.
Tickets available here: https://t.co/p4MTKyBEHh https://t.co/6B92dpQzlg
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Wonderfest Wonderfest · 7 months ago
@WonderFestIre
Watch out for #BookElves2021 from today until 2nd Dec - lots of great recommendations from children's writers, illustrators, librarians, teachers and more.
If you're looking for a children's book, the elves are there to help! https://t.co/MXGLs3Zeve
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Sarah Webb is Away Writing in July@sarahwebbishere
🚨The #BookElves2021 are back!🚨
We are children's writers, illustrators, booksellers, reviewers, librarians and teachers and we LOVE children's books.
Today we'll be recommending some of our favourite #IrishBooks
Watch out for us during @RTELateLateShow #LateLateToyShow too! https://t.co/wxNdd7sxli
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Wonderfest Wonderfest · 7 months ago
@WonderFestIre
And that’s a wrap! #WonderFest21 has officially come to an end and we’ve had an incredible time celebrating the best of children’s books in Ireland over the last five days. https://t.co/Inkm4UrgpU
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WonderFest Children's Book festival
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