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Little Island to Publish Children’s Picture Book by James Joyce

The Cat and The Devil in Bloom Again

The Cat and the Devil by James Joyce, long out of print as a children’s book, is being brought back into circulation by Little Island.

Originally written as a letter to Joyce’s grandson Stephen, it has previously been published in a picturebook from but has been out of print for some time. With gorgeous illustrations by Brazilian artist Lelis, Little Island is making this children’s story by Ireland’s greatest author available once more, for children and Joyce enthusiasts alike.

The Cat and the Devil is a retelling of a French folk tale given an Irish, Joycean twist. The devil appears in the French town of Beaugency, offering to build a bridge for the people – but for a high price. The local mayor tricks the devil into giving them the bridge for free. In Joyce’s retelling, the mayor is named after Dublin’s much-loved, legendary lord mayor Alfie Byrne. Lelis’s playful watercolour illustrations show the devil with the face of Joyce himself.

Little Island will publish The Cat and the Devil with illustrations by Lelis on 2 September 2021.

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