A young Irish sailor cast adrift in the sea. A mermaid princess and Irish luck save him from drowning. This adventurous tale owes its inspiration to stories Mike Mirabella heard as a little boy. His sizeable Italian clan swapped stories during family dinners at the kitchen table. "My grandpa and uncles would tell tales of fishing the waters off the coast of California and up through the inland passages of Alaska. I recall Grandpa Angelo telling of the scary time when he was a cabin boy of 12 and was captured by pirates while working on the tall ships. And then there was the never-ending argument between my Grandpa and Uncle Cam: what was the strange creature they caught off the coast of Alaska? A mermaid or a merman?" I was (and still am) that wee lad in our story, sitting wide-eyed, half-believing, yet never tiring of hearing those wonder-filled stories told by those salty, old jacks." Using the rhyming style of a pirate in an Irish pub, our sailor spins his yarn about seeing the slap of a mermaid's tail during a mighty storm. "On the Luck of an Irish Sailor" is a beautiful tale of adventure on the high seas. In a story that's been passed down for generations, author Mike Mirabella takes us on a magical experience deep beneath the ocean. Could it happen? Did it happen? Folklore - that's the feeling sparked by the illustrations by illustrator Amy O'Hanlon. She uses hues of blues, grays, and browns to depict the fierce storm accurately. On other pages, O'Hanlon uses beige and brown tones to create the illusion of an older picture book-like a classic story that's been around for years. Enjoy the bonus song sheets and sing along with this mostly true story of adventure, redemption, and "The Luck of an Irish Sailor."

On The Luck of an Irish Sailor

Children's Books

Mirabella, Mike

Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths

Mirabella Books With Songs

On the Luck of an Irish Sailor: An Illustrated Story with Songs

Action & Adventure

Carla approaches a favorite corner of the garden where she feels safe and happy. Her vigilant brother knows that Carla can create beautiful fantasies as she twirls around and around to music only she can hear, engaged in quiet conversation with the small creatures and her favorite flowers."Sister Butterfly" is a beautifully illustrated children's book based on the song of the same title. Mike Mirabella composed it years ago for his daughter Carla when she was three years old. The theme of "Sister Butterfly" centers on his abiding love for his daughter with Down syndrome, for self-discovery, and the transformation of the hearts surrounding her. "There are special moments in our lives where, if we give ourselves permission to quiet our fears and pay close attention to another's uniqueness, we gain a better understanding of their world. We share a loving and lasting bond. It is especially true when our hearts are open to the magic reality of a special needs child." - Mike Mirabella, Carla's Dad

Sister Butterfly: An Illustrated Song About Inclusion, Belonging, and Compassion (The Carla Stories)

Arts, Music & Photography

Carla approaches a favorite corner of the garden where she feels safe and happy. Her vigilant brother knows that Carla can create beautiful fantasies as she twirls around and round to music only she can hear, engaged in quiet conversation with the small creatures and her favorite flowers.

Sister Butterfly: An Illustrated Story with Songs About Inclusion, Belonging, and Compassion (The Carla Stories)

Animals

Does your child ever sit by themselves—alone and seemingly friendless?Meet Carla, our self-appointed social committee of one, who makes everyone at summer camp feel welcome. Carla spots a shy new boy who hides from others in his cabin, closing his curtain. Carla follows her heart and gathers a small group of fellow campers to coax him out to play games. With Carla’s encouragement, our new camper builds up his self-confidence, loses his fear, and learns to enjoy his new friends.\nAbout the authors: Mike Mirabella, an established musician and publisher of children’s books—and Lenny Lipton, who wrote the folk song "Puff the Magic Dragon"—sat in their living rooms writing songs as they babysat their disabled daughters. The bonus song "Little Brown Pony" includes the lyrics and music notations as does "I Used to Be Shy."\nThe outstanding illustrations were done by Amy O’Hanlon, an inspired artist in a family of musicians who does stage projection design for several San Francisco musicals, one of which was the Bay Area Children’s Theatre’s She Persisted, based on the book by Chelsea Clinton.

I Used to Be Shy: An Illustrated Story with Songs about Inclusion, Belonging, and Compassion (The Carla Stories)

Lipton, Lenny

O'Hanlon, Amy

Activities, Crafts & Games

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Books by Mirabella Books With Songs