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Are you getting ready for St. Patrick’s Day? I’ve rounded up some St. Patrick’s Day books for kids that will hopefully help you get in the spirit! Make sure to check out my St. Patrick’s Day printables, too, while you’re here. These are all on our list to read this month. Check your local library for these titles, or if you’re looking to purchase, I’ve included links to each below.
Ireland (Follow Me Around) by Wiley Blevins
“Known as the “Emerald Isle,” Ireland is an island famous for its green, grassy fields. With tips and insights from an Irish native named Seamus, readers will take a trip across the Irish countryside and explore its biggest cities. Along the way, they will see how Irish people live, learn about Ireland’s fascinating history, learn to speak Gaelic, and much more!”
Find the book hereFlossie McFluff: An Irish Fairy by Eoin O’Brien (Author), Audrey Dowling (Illustrator)
” In a deep leafy wood, by a slow-moving stream,
Where butterflies flutter through golden sunbeams,
Lives a beautiful fairy called Flossie McFluff.
She’s tiny and shiny, but Flossie is tough.
She has magical powers; she knows magic words;
And she cares for the trees and the bees and the birds.
Wee Flossie lives high in an ancient oak tree,
And lives for adventure, as we shall soon see …
Three stories in rhyme about a little fairy who looks after the forest.
In the first tale, she gives some litter louts a scare, then she helps a lonely banshee find some friends, and finally helps her leprechaun friend Paddy Potts find his missing gold.”
Purchase Flossie McFluff hereRónán and the Mermaid: A Tale of Old Ireland by Marianne McShane (Author), Jordi Solano (Illustrator)
“Long ago, on the eastern coast of Ireland, a monk from the Abbey of Bangor was collecting driftwood along the wave-tossed shore when he found a boy washed up amid a circle of seals. At first the boy, wrapped in a shawl of woven seagrass, could barely move or speak. But when he regained his strength, he recalled being brought ashore by a lady with long golden hair who sang him to safety and gave him a silver ring. The monks knew the legend of a mermaid who had wandered the coast for three hundred years. Could it possibly have been her? Inspired by a story told in medieval chronicles of Irish history about a wondrous happening in the year 558, debut author Marianne McShane weaves a captivating tale, while Jordi Solano captures the legend’s spare but welcoming abbey on the rocky shore — a setting that makes you believe that if you listen hard enough, you too can hear the mermaid’s song.”
Purchase Ronan and the Mermaid hereMaisie McGillicuddy’s Sheep Got Muddy by Kelly Grettler (Author), Darya Beklemesheva (Illustrator)
“What would you do if your best friend went missing?
Join Maisie and her lost little sheep in their wild adventures around the EMERALD ISLE!
You’ll visit Ireland’s most beloved, iconic landmarks as the two navigate their way from the cliffs to the castles, to the stone walls and the cities, and all along the seaside on their search!
Maisie McGillicuddy’s Sheep Got Muddy is about friendship, loyalty, perseverance, bravery, faith, and never giving up on the ones that you love.”
Purchase Maisie McGillicuddy’s Sheep Got MuddyThe O’Brien Book of Irish Fairy Tales and Legends by Una Leavy (Author), Susan Field (Illustrator)
“Irish fairy tales and legends are full of enchantment, brave deeds and lost loves. Told from generation to generation, they are as fascinating now as they were to their original listeners.
This wonderfully rich and varied collection are ten of the best-loved traditional Irish stories, retold by author and poet Una Leavy. The Post of Gold captures the trickery and mischief of leprechauns; the story of Oisin in Tír na n-Óg marks the end of the great Fianna. From 2000 years ago comes The Children of Lir … all stories to be treasured for years to come.
Susan Field’s beautiful illustrations are inspired by ancient Celtic art and culture. They capture the wealth of tradition, the humor and the magic of these great stories.”
Purchase The O’Brien Book of Irish Fairy Tales and LegendsFiona’s Lace by Patricia Polacco (Author, Illustrator)
“An Irish family stays together with the help of Fiona’s talent for making one-of-a-kind lace in this heartwarming immigration story from the New York Times bestselling creator of The Keeping Quilt.
Many years ago, times were hard in all of Ireland, so when passage to America becomes available, Fiona and her family travel to Chicago. They find work in domestic service to pay back their passage, and at night Fiona turns tangles of thread into a fine, glorious lace. Then when the family is separated, it is the lace that Fiona’s parents follow to find her and her sister and bring the family back together. And it is the lace that will always provide Fiona with memories of Ireland and of her mother’s words: “In your heart your true home resides, and it will always be with you as long as you remember those you love.”
This generational story from the family of Patricia Polacco’s Irish father brims with the same warmth and heart as the classic The Keeping Quilt and The Blessing Cup, which Kirkus Reviews called “deeply affecting” in a starred review, and embraces the comfort of family commitment and togetherness that Patricia Polacco’s books are known for.”
Purchase Fiona’s LaceSt. Patrick’s Day in the Morning by Eve Bunting (Author), Jan Brett (Author, Illustrator)
“Jamie seeks a way to prove that he is not too young to march in the big St. Patrick’s Day parade.”
Purchase St Patricks Day in the MorningFiona’s Luck by Teresa Bateman (Author), Kelly Murphy (Illustrator)
“An original folktale full of wit, magic, and leprechauns, that is sure to delight for St. Patrick’s Day as well as all year round.
The luck of the Irish has waned after the greedy Leprechaun King has taken all the good fortune in Ireland and locked it away. It is up to one cunning girl, Fiona to come up with a plan to get the luck and good tidings back from the leprechauns to help the people of Ireland. Through clever charades, Fiona uses her wit to outsmart the powerful Leprechaun King and restore luck to the Emerald Isle.
Luminous and enchanting illustrations add to the wonder of this original folktale, that is sure to charm readers young and old who are looking for a bit of magic to spark their story time.”
Purchase Fiona’s LuckBlack Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine, 1845-1850 by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
“In 1845, a disaster struck Ireland. Overnight, a mysterious blight attacked the potato crops, turning the potatoes black and destroying the only real food of nearly six million people.
Over the next five years, the blight attacked again and again. These years are known today as the Great Irish Famine, a time when one million people died from starvation and disease and two million more fled their homeland.
Black Potatoes is the compelling story of men, women, and children who defied landlords and searched empty fields for scraps of harvested vegetables and edible weeds to eat, who walked several miles each day to hard-labor jobs for meager wages and to reach soup kitchens, and who committed crimes just to be sent to jail, where they were assured of a meal. It’s the story of children and adults who suffered from starvation, disease, and the loss of family and friends, as well as those who died. Illustrated with black and white engravings, it’s also the story of the heroes among the Irish people and how they held on to hope.”
The Story of Saint Patrick: A Story of Unselfish Devotion (Brother Francis) by Herald Entertainment Inc
“The Story of Saint Patrick is a story of unselfish love. It beautifully illustrates the story of a courageous priest who put his mission above his own comfort.”
Purchase The Story of Saint Patrick hereTim O’Toole and the Wee Folk by Gerald McDermott
“Tim O’Toole and his wife, Kathleen, are so poor they have not a penny or a potato between them. Even their cats are too skinny for the mice to chase! When Tim goes out to find a job, he stumbles upon “the wee folk”—a band of leprechauns who give him gifts to make his fortune. That is, if Tim can keep clear of the evil McGoon family. . . .”
Purchase Tim O’Toole and the Wee FolkJamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato Paperback by Tomie dePaola
“Jamie O’Rourke is the laziest man in all of Ireland, far too lazy to help his wife on their farm. Then, after a chance encounter with a leprechaun, Jamie finds himself growing the biggest potato in the world. But what will happen when the potato grows too large for Jamie and the villagers to handle?”
O’Sullivan Stew by Hudson Talbott
“Someone has stolen the witch of Crookhaven’s horse, and there will be no peace in the village until it is returned. So bold, brassy Kate O’Sullivan takes matters into her own hands. But instead of saving the day, she manages to land herself–and her family–in trouble with the king. So Kate sets out to save their hides the only way she knows how–with a good story. Filled with imagination, wit, and a healthy helping of good old-fashioned Irish blarney, this is a hilarious tale that will keep readers coming back for more.”
Purchase O’Sullivan Stew hereJack and the Leprechaun by Ivan Robertson (Author), Katy Bratun (Illustrator)
“It’s St. Patrick’s Day, and Jack Mouse is visiting his cousin Sean in Ireland. Sean tells Jack about the myth of leprechauns, and Jack is determined to catch one for himself!”
Purchase Jack and the Leprechaun hereSt. Patrick’s Day by Gail Gibbons
“In this bright picture book, nonfiction master Gail Gibbons tells you everything you need to know about this holiday. You’ll learn the story of Patrick’s life, legends about the saint, and the history of the holiday.
From shamrocks to shillelaghs, Gail Gibbons’ signature combination of accessible text and clear, colorful illustrations creates a perfect introduction to a fun holiday. A perfect introduction to the customs surrounding the holiday– parades, special meals, and of course wearing lots of green.
Filled with facts, legends, and traditions, this book is ideal for kids learning about the holiday, Irish culture, and history.”
Purchase St Patrick’s Day hereLeprechaun in Late Winter (Magic Tree House Merlin Mission) by Mary Pope Osborne (Author), Sal Murdocca (Illustrator) & Leprechauns and Irish Folklore: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House Merlin Mission
In Leprechaun in Late Winter, “Jack and Annie meet an Irish girl and go on a magical adventure that changes the girl’s life—she grows up to be Lady Gregory, who helped bring back the Irish legends, started a theater, and helped the Irish people regain both their heritage and their pride.”
Purchase Leprechaun in Late Winter here“When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #15: Leprechaun in Late Winter, they had lots of questions. What are leprechauns? How do we know many of the old Irish stories? How do fairies spend their time? Who speaks the Irish language? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts.”
Purchase Leprechauns and Irish Folklore Fact Tracker here
