Erika McGann Gerry Daly
Puffling and the Stormy Sea
Story by Erika McGann
Illustrations by Gerry Daly
Erika McGann has written many children’s books, including Wee Donkey’s Treasure Hunt (illustrated by Gerry Daly), Standing on One Leg is Hard (illustrated by Clive McFarland), and The Night-time Cat and the Plump Grey Mouse (illustrated by Lauren O’Neill).
Gerry Daly is a children’s author and illustrator. His previous books include the best-selling Puffling series, and Wee Donkey’s Treasure Hunt, all written by Erika McGann. Finn’s First Song was his first author illustrated book, also published by The O’Brien Press.
For the guides on Skellig Michael, who brave the stormy days – EMcG
To Lolo and Willy – GD
First published 2025 by The O’Brien Press Ltd, 12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6, D06 HD27, Ireland
Tel: +353 1 4923333; E-mail: books@obrien.ie; Website: obrien.ie
The O’Brien Press is a member of Publishing Ireland.
Copyright for text © Erika McGann
Copyright for illustrations © Gerry Daly
The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted
Copyright for layout, editing and design
© The O’Brien Press Ltd
ISBN: 978-1-78849-528-8
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Printed and bound in Poland by Białostockie Zakłady Graficzne S.A.
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Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Eoin O’Brien and everyone at O’Brien Press.
Published in
The O’Brien Press received financial assistance from the Arts Council to publish this title
The clouds were grey over Skellig Michael, and it was a very stormy day.
A puffling peeked her head out of her burrow. ‘Wow,’ she said. ‘Today is a day for a wild adventure!’
But her puffin parents shook their heads.
‘Today is a day for staying inside.’
‘We’ll still have fun,’ said her mum, with a wink.
‘We can keep an eye out for the strange animals who only come out when it storms.’
‘Like who?’ asked the puffling.
‘Well,’ said her mum, ‘there’s the octopus with wings.’
The puffling giggled.
‘There’s no such thing as an octopus with wings!’
‘And the rabbit with the colourful beak,’ said her dad.
The puffling snorted.
‘There’s no such thing as a rabbit with a beak!’
‘And don’t forget,’ said her mum, ‘the fish so big it could swallow the moon.’
The puffling laughed, but she began to wonder.
When her parents fell asleep, the puffling snuck outside.
The wind was whirling, and the puffling was tossed about in the storm.
and the rain was swirling,
She didn’t see a single octopus with wings. And she didn’t see a rabbit with any kind of beak. But then she looked down to the sea below.
‘A fish so big it could swallow the moon!’
The puffling stared so hard that …
‘Whoops!’
She fell onto the back of the great big fish!
‘Goodness!’ said the fish. ‘Who’s that back there?’
‘It’s me, big fish,’ the puffling said. ‘I fell from the cliff.
Could you please take me back to my island home?’
‘I’m a basking shark,’ said the great big fish. ‘And I’ll certainly try to get you home.’