Product Description

Long ago, troublesome snakes roamed the hills of Ireland, bringing evil and mischief everywhere they went. Before Patrick becomes a saint, he drives all the snakes out of Ireland with a ring of his magic bell--except one, which he throws into Scotland's Loch Ness. Full color.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1090427 in Books
• Published on: 1999-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

Amazon.com Review
Those pesky Irish snakes! Patrick (pre-sainthood) could ignore their naughty behavior for a while, but when they start teasing his poor old dog Finbar, well, that is just the last straw. It is clearly time to haul out his magic bell and rid the land of this pestilence! But before Patrick can rest too heavily on his laurels, he discovers that the biggest, oldest, sneakiest snake in all of Ireland has resisted his magic and is now bound and determined to make his life miserable. Whenever Patrick's back is turned, the sly serpent steals swigs from his mug of buttermilk, peeks in the window while he is entertaining friends, or hides under his quilt at night. Patrick's attempts to outsmart and outrun his sinuous enemy through all of Ireland and Scotland culminate in a surprising, indeed extraordinary, turn of events.

Sheila MacGill-Callahan's lively, lilting version of the well-known story of Saint Patrick (combined cleverly with another familiar tale) is a fantastic introduction to Irish and Scottish legend. Will Hillenbrand's gorgeous mixed-media paintings invite the reader to slither gleefully along on this battle of wills. (Ages 5 and older) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly
Just in time for the March 17th holiday comes a legend of Ireland's most charming snake wrangler, St. Patrick. Centuries ago, Patrick (not yet a saint) proved that even the most patient of men can lose his temper when it comes to slimy reptiles. A gang of laughing, hissing snakes that teases his aged and ailing dog, Finbar, proves the last straw for Patrick. He drives the slithering creatures off the Emerald Isle and into the sea?save for one, the "biggest, oldest, sneakiest snake in all of Ireland." The lone creature incessantly shadows Patrick, who soon devises a plan to trap the snake and set it out to sea with the others. After much effort and a bit of derring-do, Patrick sends the snake to the depths of Loch Ness in nearby Scotland. Years later, when Patrick finally returns to check on the snake, he finds something much, much bigger. MacGill-Callahan (The Seal Prince) combines two pieces of colorful lore in a crisp and breezy text that depicts a religious figure at his most human and appealing. In Hillenbrand's (The Biggest, Best Snowman) softly hued pastel and watercolor paintings, snowy-bearded Patrick has the predominantly sweet countenance of a Santa Claus, while his beady-eyed nemesis is all forked-tongued nastiness. The rolling green countryside and vast blue waters evoke Ireland's timeless landscape. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 4-This frolicsome blend of folklore and legend has Patrick chasing the snakes from Ireland because "they were so naughty folks were sick and tired of having them around." One sneaky snake, however, cleverly eludes him, and from there this tale grows tall enough to stretch any imagination. When Patrick builds a beautiful snake box, the curious creature slithers into it but escapes before the lid is closed. Patrick chases the reptile through the Irish landscape, pushing the Blue Stack Mountains open to form the Long Glen of Hunting and eventually crossing the Giants' Causeway to the sea. After a passing mother eagle snatches the snake, Patrick frees him and tosses him into the box, which promptly sinks into Loch Ness. When Patrick returns years later, he is greeted by his nemesis and discovers that the creature has become the Loch Ness Monster. This delightful read-aloud is full of tongue-tickling language that will accommodate a wee bit of a dialect. Hillenbrand's mixed-media illustrations engulf the pages with humor, texture, and exuberant color. Perfect for holiday collections as well as year-round reading, this story should slither into any collection.
Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Snakes...Begone!
"Everyone knows that Patrick sent the snakes out of Ireland because they were so naughty folks were sick and tired of having them around. He'd tried for years to make them behave, but they just laughed at him. Then he found a gang of them teasing his old lame dog, Finbar, and he lost his temper." Enough was enough. Patrick rang his magic bell and like the Pied Piper, charmed every snake from every corner of Ireland, and led them all into the sea. All except one, "the biggest, oldest, sneakiest snake in all of Ireland." And that nasty old snake vowed to make Patrick's life miserable. Wherever Patrick went, the snake was there to torment him, peeking in windows, hanging from tree branches and tapping him on the head, stealing drinks from his mug when he wasn't looking, and even curling up in his bed. This rascally old snake had to go, and finally after thinking and thinking, Patrick came up with a plan..... Sheila MacGill-Callahan takes an old Irish legend, adds a little silly fun and a lot of humor, and comes up with a thoroughly entertaining and charming story that shouldn't be missed. Her engaging text, complete with lilting Irish rhythm begs to be read aloud, and is enhanced by Will Hillenbrand's bright, bold artwork. Together, this dynamic duo weaves a magical tale, with a surprise ending, that brings out the Irish in all of us. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, The Last Snake In Ireland is a rip roarin' good read that's just right for St Patrick's Day, and is just as enjoyable any other day of the year too.

Good and surprising
I just finished reading this book about two minutes ago and I really liked it. My intention was to get some knowledge about Ireland, but I found more information about snakes and later the Loch Ness monster. I dont' want to ruin the book for those of you who want to read it. The pictures are very colorful and entertaining. If you are looking for information on Ireland, this isn't the book, but it is a good myth.

this wasn't horrible...
...but it wasn't terribly authentic either. I was looking for a more "classic" tale about St. Patrick, but this is rather made up from an American perspective. The illustrations are bland. There's got to be something better out there.