The Gullfoss Legends

REVIEWS

'Dazzling!' www.kidzbookclub.com

'This beautifully presented children's book tells a tale of a young girl who travels through blizzards, volcanic ash and scalding pools of hot mud to reach Reykjavik, Iceland.She wishes to seek help from the King of Reykjavik, to prevent the British from building a dam on Gullfoss, a waterfall on her homeland. During her difficult journey, she makes some good friends and outwits some nasty assassins, making this tale truly magical, heart-warming and full of adventure. Each chapter starts with an Icelandic phrase or saying, some of which are humorous and add unique charm to the book. There s a phonics page and glossary at the back, which explain what the Icelandic words/phrases are and their pronunciation. The author s descriptive language jumps out of the page, grabbing the reader so they can almost imagine they re there in Iceland with Sigridur, the main character. The story is well-researched and would provide a welcome challenge for children of 9-12 years.' SP Magazine

'It tells the story of Sigridür Tómasdóttir, a 12 year old girl who flees her father's farm to talk to the king and try to save her beloved waterfall, Gulfoss. The author had the help of Professor of History Helgi Skúli Kjartansson to recriate the legend, even if it isn't followed exactly, since Sigri was around 30, not 12, years old when she went into her adventure to save Gulfoss. Sigri, as she is called all during the story, is an emotional 12 year old girl who loves her waterfalls, Gulfoss. When she finds out her dad is going to sell it to the energy company, who will put a dam on it, because he needs more money to support his two daughters, she complains and goes against it - how can he sell her beloved waterfall? She then gets the idea, from the waterfall, actually, that she should go see the king and ask him to help her save Gulfoss, but she doesn't know exactly where the city is, and just walks there. All 120 kms. She meets, along the way, a man who travelled around the world, a boy with a kind heart, a wolf-man, geisers, a volcano, thiefs, murderers and, of course, the king. The Gulfoss Falls are amazing and I totally agree with Sigri, they are worth saving. The story is full of magic and Icelandic - words, foods, landscape, traditions. It's a tale about a land and a people we don't hear much about and it's real, at least as real as it gets. It's a tale of love and friendship, with some funny bits too. Billy Bob Buttons is a great author who manages to write well for children and amazes and enchants grown ups as much as the little ones. Don't hesitate in buying this for your little ones or for yourself.' Brazilian Bookworm

FROM THE AUTHOR

My name is Billy Bob Buttons and I'm the author of a new children's book called The Gullfoss Legends. The book is loosely based on the legend of Sigríður Tómasdóttir and her fight to save Gullfoss waterfall in Iceland in the early 1900s.

The book was written with the expert help of Professor Helgi Skúli Kjartansson, Professor of History at the University of Iceland.

Reviewers on Kidzbookclub.com described the book as `DAZZLING!' and on Bookbuzz they wrote `The story telling skill of J K Rowling and the wit of Roald Dahl.'