This is a story drawn from Irish mythology in which a young boy and his father travel to the Underworld in a classic battle between good and evil. Their adventures along the way include magic, dragons, djins, and a evil king with a death ray eye. In The Poet and the Wondersmith we learn that superheroes have existed for many centuries and played a large role in Irish myth. Many readers, young and old, provided enthusiastic comments about the book:Escape reality atop a dragon with poet Joseph Cavanaugh and authentic Irish illustrator, Shelly Mooney of Wexford, Ireland. Allow yourself to be swept away from the mundane earth to the Underworld for the ultimate battle between good and evil—innocence and treachery. Poet Joseph Cavanaugh transports us on a mythical odyssey with the Wondersmith and his courageous, golden-haired son as they battle to outwit the evil monster King Balor. — Melody Dean Dimick, President of Florida Writers Foundation and award-winning novelist and poet. (Blame, No Parents Allowed, Silent Screams, Backpack Blues, Ain't It a Shame) An adventurous fun tale that will keep the reader engaged all the way to the happy ending. — Jill Clark. Author of Machete-folkloric horror short story series, Loose Balloons, poetry for middle grades and poems and essays in literary journals. Many students will be entranced by the imaginative nature of the story and its rich vocabulary. Teachers will appreciate the comprehension questions which could be used for small reading groups. — Michaela Victoria McCormick, elementary school teacher. It sounds so magical and I loved going through the adventure with the poet. I loved learning about the Underworld, magic and bravery. — Liam Walling, 12 yr. old student.Irish mythology is such a beautiful, and often underrepresented thing, and The Poet and The Wondersmith captures it perfectly. — Rawlins Collard, 13 yr. old high school student