Across a Dark and Wild Sea (Single Titles)

By Don Brown and Don Brown

Columcille was born in a remote corner of Ireland in the year 521. Legend has it that as a child, he was fed a cake filled with the letters of the alphabet, and so learned to love writing. He grew up to become a monk and a scribe a thousand years before the invention of printing, when books had to be copied by hand. There was one book, a beautiful volume of psalms from distant Rome, that Columcille especially loved, and even though its owner refused him permission, Columcille secretly copied it. The copy was discovered, and a dispute arose over who it belonged to: Columcille, who made it, or the owner of the original. So better was the argument that a battle was fought between the two men's powerful friends; although Columcille's side won, the victory felt hollow to him. To punish himself, he set out ina tiny boat, vowing to leave Ireland forever. A revered figure in Celtic history, Columcille (also known as Columbia) founded the famous monastery on the Scottish island of Iona and left a legacy of learning that illuminated a corner of the Dark Ages. History, drama, and a love of books and reading fill a story--told here in exquisite watercolors and deflty understated prose by noted author and artist Don Brown.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0761324151
• ISBN13: 9780761324157
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.1" x 0.4" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 5 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 4

Customer Reviews

A very entertaining read, and an educational one

In the Year of Our Lord, 521, in the Dark Ages that haunted Europe, was born Columcille, the son of a minor king in Ireland. This is the story of Columcille, his growth, his education, and his founding of the great monastery on Iona, in Scotland. The book itself is written for the younger reader, and contains many colorful and extremely beautiful illustrations. Overall, I found this to be a very good book. It does a good job of telling the story of St. Columcille in an easy-to-read, no-nonsense way. It's a very entertaining read, and an educational one. I highly recommend it.

A PERFECT Back to School Book!

This book was read as part of the Catholic Mosaic program with our kids. It happened to be read around the first week of school and the subject of being a scholar and how important books are to EVERYONE was highly appropriate. Definitely a keeper!

Wonder Book on Saint Columba

The only thing that I can add to the professional and reader reviews is that St. Columcille is also known as St. Columba. All the other reviews do a great job of describing this book.

Recommended for readers of all ages

Deftly written and superbly illustrated by Don Brown, Across A Dark And Wild Sea is the true story of Columcille (also known as Columba), a beloved figure from Celtic history. Columcille loved books so much that he secretly copied a volume of psalms from Rome against it's owner's wishes. The resulting and bitter fallout in 521 A.D. caused Columcille to deliberately leave Ireland in a tiny boat, vowing never to return. He founded a famous monastery on the Scottish island of Iona and left a legacy that endures to this day. Brought to life with moody, windswept color illustrations, Across A Dark And Wild Sea is a most engaging picture book and recommended for readers of all ages.

The Man Who Loved Books.....

"Columcille was born in 521. He was the son of a king, from a corner of Ireland scrubbed hard by ocean winds, in a time that came to be known as the dark ages..." So begins Don Brown's marvelous picture book biography of the scribe and monk, known now as Saint Columba. Brown traces the Celtic legend of this remarkable man who desperately wanted to bring learning and books back into the world after much was lost with the fall of the Roman Empire. After a bloody war was waged over the copying and ownership of a special book of psalms, Columcille left Ireland forever and with twelve followers "set sail on a dark and wild sea." Landing on the tiny Scottish island of Iona, he and his followers built a monastery and scriptorium where books were copied and scribes were trained. "Books were made and dispatched, like small boats on a dark and wild sea, to places where reading and writing had been forgotten or ignored. The books made colonies of learning, and people's minds, once dark with ignorance, were brightened." Mr Brown's poetic text is filled with imagery, is rich in history and drama and complemented by powerful and evocative artwork in quiet and subdued tones. Together word and art bring Columcille's inspiring story to life with passion and respect. Perfect for youngsters 8 and older, or as a read aloud for younger children, Across A Dark And Wild Sea includes an Author's Note to enhance and complete the story, the Unical alphabet used by scribes, and a bibliography. This is a rare and wonderful story celebrating books and learning, that shouldn't be missed. "Columcille, the man who loved books, helped the world love books. So we remember him and retell his story."