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Jamie O'Rourke
Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato: An Irish Folktale
After his wife is injured, Jamie O'Rourke, the laziest man in Ireland, must find a way to feed his family and luckily bumps into a leprechaun with a batch of magic seeds.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published February 20, 1992
19 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
About the author
Tomie dePaola
441 books900 followersTomie dePaola (pronounced Tommy da-POW-la) was best known for his books for children.
He had a five-decade writing and illustrating career during which he published more than 270 books, including 26 Fairmount Avenue, Strega Nona, and Meet the Barkers.
Tomie dePaola and his work have been recognized with the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure.
He had a five-decade writing and illustrating career during which he published more than 270 books, including 26 Fairmount Avenue, Strega Nona, and Meet the Barkers.
Tomie dePaola and his work have been recognized with the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
March 15, 2020
I enjoy the stories Tomie tells as an author, but I’m not a fan of his artwork. Jamie is lazy and the story makes that clear, so the artwork does sort of feel like it sets the story up well. I sort of feel like Tomie has lazy artwork, but I don’t think that’s it. I simply don’t care for his style. I will say, just about all the people and animals look a little like a potato. His style fits this story perfectly.
This has classic Irish Folktale elements in it. Jamie hasn’t grown enough food for the winter because he stays in bed all the time. He finds a leprechaun and is tricked out of gold, but gets a seed for a giant potato that would last through the winter. Jamie finds a way to get out of work and all the townspeople help him. Something else, Jamie doesn’t have kids. A farmer with no kids, how strange. It’s a story about how to be a scammer and get out of something.
The nephew thought the part with the leprechaun was cool, but the rest of the story he thought was uninteresting. The potato held a little interest, but overall, he didn’t seem to be a huge fan. He gave this 2 stars.
This has classic Irish Folktale elements in it. Jamie hasn’t grown enough food for the winter because he stays in bed all the time. He finds a leprechaun and is tricked out of gold, but gets a seed for a giant potato that would last through the winter. Jamie finds a way to get out of work and all the townspeople help him. Something else, Jamie doesn’t have kids. A farmer with no kids, how strange. It’s a story about how to be a scammer and get out of something.
The nephew thought the part with the leprechaun was cool, but the rest of the story he thought was uninteresting. The potato held a little interest, but overall, he didn’t seem to be a huge fan. He gave this 2 stars.
March 9, 2019
I have to say the ending of this story had me laughing out loud. I rarely read a children's book with an ending that surprises me.
October 25, 2013
Tomie dePaola is quickly becoming a household favorite. He's a little lengthy for my preschoolers, however, my 5 yr old loves him. dePaola is educational and enjoyable to read. The illustrations have a unique style all their own that even I enjoy while reading. This one was about some Irish legends, including some info about potatoes, how the Irish talk, and Leprechauns. My son and I really enjoyed this one. A great educational read for any child.
March 24, 2022
3.5 stars. If I have read this in the past, I don't remember it. In the past, I read the sequel Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka to students for St. Patrick's Day. After 25 years, it was time to read the first book about Jamie O'Rourke. This one is definitely the more traditional folktale of the two with its tricky leprechauns, lazy main character, and wishes for gold.
If you like Tomie dePaola's original Strega Nona, you'll enjoy this Jamie O'Rourke story. Jamie will remind you of Big Anthony .
If you like Tomie dePaola's original Strega Nona, you'll enjoy this Jamie O'Rourke story. Jamie will remind you of Big Anthony .
June 17, 2008
This was a fun tale, but the main character is lazy and a liar. Not exactly what I'd like my kids to emulate. It was silly and all, but the ending sort of made it okay that he was lazy and he'd never have to work again. Uh, rewarding laziness? Again, not exactly what I'd want my kids to learn.
The pictures are typical of dePaola and we enjoyed looking at them. A silly story, but one we won't read again.
The pictures are typical of dePaola and we enjoyed looking at them. A silly story, but one we won't read again.
November 11, 2020
I read this today with my 5th grade reading group at the elementary school where I work. The kids really enjoyed it. A lazy Irishman captures a sly and conniving leprechaun. Instead of getting the pot of gold that he felt he deserved, the man gets ... a gigantic potato.
I thought the story was entertaining, and the illustrations were great.
I thought the story was entertaining, and the illustrations were great.
March 17, 2023
Oh how we love the Jamie O Rourke stories! I’d like to read through Yeats compilation of Irish folklore to find out more about these stories. We adore De Paola’s retelling and illustrations.
March 23, 2018
Ages: 4 - 9
Cleanliness: The story is about a lazy man (not to be taken too seriously). "Oh, the saints preserve us," and "faith" are exclaimed. Catholic confession, St. Bridget, the Virgin Mary and "old Death" are mentioned. There is a leprechaun in the story and fairies are mentioned. A man is called a fool.
#stpatricksday #stpattysday #geography #europe #ireland #culture
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
Cleanliness: The story is about a lazy man (not to be taken too seriously). "Oh, the saints preserve us," and "faith" are exclaimed. Catholic confession, St. Bridget, the Virgin Mary and "old Death" are mentioned. There is a leprechaun in the story and fairies are mentioned. A man is called a fool.
#stpatricksday #stpattysday #geography #europe #ireland #culture
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
March 6, 2017
This was a very cute book and coming from an Irish Descent it was super fun to learn more about where I come from through a fun children’s book. It was definitely relatable as well, because I can be just as lazy as Jamie O’Rourke. I have to say, when Jamie found the leprechaun and held him against his will to find the pot of gold, it seemed a little dark. I like how this book showed what working as a team could do and that laziness can get a person into trouble. However, I don’t entirely agree with how Jamie behaved in the book, it was cute and made me super hungry for some potatoes!!
September 25, 2017
Lolololol !
Kept me laughing all the way through...
Kept me laughing all the way through...
May 10, 2024
5/9/2024 - A farmer does the least amount of work possible and has the town do the rest. Then he’s rewarded for it. I get it’s a folktale, but it’s not a lesson I want my child to learn.
October 22, 2022
Classic dePaola art, and some fun dialogue.
But like others have noted, there is no moral to extract from the story. The lazy protagonist is in fact rewarded for his laziness and poor planning. Not a book I'd keep on our shelf.
But like others have noted, there is no moral to extract from the story. The lazy protagonist is in fact rewarded for his laziness and poor planning. Not a book I'd keep on our shelf.
March 29, 2020
On St. Patrick's Day I suddenly remembered that I had this book as part of my collection of books I used for work and I asked the kids if they wanted a leprechaun bedtime story. They did, of course. I will note that this book actually has nothing to do with St. Patrick's Day, other than featuring a leprechaun which, presumably, is a year-round fantasy creature in Ireland. The kids got a kick out of my terrible Irish accent and enjoyed the story, although 7-year-old S definitely understood the motto better than 4-year-old L.
ETA: Read this again on St. Paddy's Day 2020 to all three kids.
ETA: Read this again on St. Paddy's Day 2020 to all three kids.
March 8, 2019
Amusing Irish tale about Jamie O'Rourke, the laziest man in the village. He won't help his wife plant potatoes or crops for the winter. His wife is injured and Jamie begins to fear how they will survive the winter as he has planted no potatoes. Through a series of adventures, he is given some magic potato seeds. A large potato grows but problems grow out of the size and speed of growth. Great story for around St. Patrick's Day.
July 21, 2015
Fun folktale to introduce certain Irish traditions. Young children will be fascinated by the mischievous leprechaun. However, this book does not really have a moral. It does NOT teach the value of hard work, as the protagonist is lazy and gets rewarded for being lucky.
March 8, 2019
March 7
May 13, 2019
Might work for St. Patrick's Day storytime? Made me laugh and just a fun tale all around.
March 20, 2021
This is a children’s picture book that is a fable about a farmer in Ireland who wishes for a giant potato, and he certainly gets what he wishes for!
June 3, 2021
A classic Irish folk tale, come to life with dePaola's beautiful and fun illustrations.
March 11, 2020
Average book. It’s an Irish folktale that reminds me of Jack and the beanstalk. The story was okay.
March 17, 2025
I love Tomie dePaola 🍀 Perfect book for St.Patrick’s day. 🥔 🍀🇮🇪🍀☘️🇨🇮☘️
November 12, 2018
Book level: 4.0
Lextile: 740
Fountas & Pinnell: L
Book summary: Jamie O'Rourke is a lazy man and when his wife can't harvest their praties (potatoes), he is worried about their future. Then he meets a clever leprechaun who grants his wish and it leads to some unexpected results.
Word choice - Tomie dePaolo, the author, is very selective about the language that the characters use when they speak to each other. His characters use slang and specific phrases that exclusively used by those who reside in Ireland since that is where the story takes place. When they refer to potatoes, they call them praties. Jamie, the main character, exclaims, "Saints preserve us", when he is complaining about how his back hurts and he can't pick the praties.
Organization - this books has a clear logical sequence of events and the conclusion leaves the reader with a resolution. Although, I don't think this resolution is one I particularly like.
Classroom integration/mini lessons/content connections:
This book is a great mentor text demonstrating how an author chooses to use certain words (slang) and phrases to ensure authenticity of the characters in a book. As a class, students can identify the different slang and phrases that they think are typically used by people in Ireland during an interactive read aloud. The class could also guess what the slang means as a practice in semantics. As practice of using culture-specific slang and phrases from another country, students can be given examples of slang and phrasing used in different countries. Then they will have to write a letter or short story using that slang correctly. Students may need to research the meaning of the slang before they can use it in a text.
This can be used as a mentor text to demonstrate the three main parts of a story; beginning, middle, and end. Students can be provided with cards that have different events that happen in the story and they need to put them in order on a retelling strip and at the very end they can rewrite the ending to how they think it should have ended.
Another use could be as part of a St. Patrick Day celebration to learn about the folklore of leprechauns and they could write a story about what they would do if they met a leprechaun.
Lextile: 740
Fountas & Pinnell: L
Book summary: Jamie O'Rourke is a lazy man and when his wife can't harvest their praties (potatoes), he is worried about their future. Then he meets a clever leprechaun who grants his wish and it leads to some unexpected results.
Word choice - Tomie dePaolo, the author, is very selective about the language that the characters use when they speak to each other. His characters use slang and specific phrases that exclusively used by those who reside in Ireland since that is where the story takes place. When they refer to potatoes, they call them praties. Jamie, the main character, exclaims, "Saints preserve us", when he is complaining about how his back hurts and he can't pick the praties.
Organization - this books has a clear logical sequence of events and the conclusion leaves the reader with a resolution. Although, I don't think this resolution is one I particularly like.
Classroom integration/mini lessons/content connections:
This book is a great mentor text demonstrating how an author chooses to use certain words (slang) and phrases to ensure authenticity of the characters in a book. As a class, students can identify the different slang and phrases that they think are typically used by people in Ireland during an interactive read aloud. The class could also guess what the slang means as a practice in semantics. As practice of using culture-specific slang and phrases from another country, students can be given examples of slang and phrasing used in different countries. Then they will have to write a letter or short story using that slang correctly. Students may need to research the meaning of the slang before they can use it in a text.
This can be used as a mentor text to demonstrate the three main parts of a story; beginning, middle, and end. Students can be provided with cards that have different events that happen in the story and they need to put them in order on a retelling strip and at the very end they can rewrite the ending to how they think it should have ended.
Another use could be as part of a St. Patrick Day celebration to learn about the folklore of leprechauns and they could write a story about what they would do if they met a leprechaun.
March 21, 2018
Plot & Pacing
I don't know much about the original folk tale this story is based on but I did like the overall plot. It doesn't have a great moral but it was still a fun story. The pacing was good, especially for a children's book.
Setting & World-Building
Set in Ireland, though not sure exactly when. I liked that it was written to reflect the setting.
Characters & Development
Jamie is a terrible character. He's lazy, ungrateful, and conniving. I kind of hated that his behavior is essentially rewarded in the end--was hoping something different would happen to him. I liked and felt sorry for his wife, Eileen, and liked the digs that was made toward Jamie in regards to her having to do all of the work. I liked how the leprechaun tricked Jamie.
Character Relationships
Not really any relationships to speak of. Jamie and his wife don't seem to have a super great one because of his unwillingness to do anything.
Writing & Voice
I liked the witty writing.
Illustrations
I've loved dePaola's illustrations since I was a kid and the ones in this book were good. There's one scene in which Jamie and his animals are all making such angry faces that I couldn't stop laughing. Love the colorful scenes he paints.
Climax & Ending
I enjoyed the climax but the overall ending wasn't my favorite since terrible Jamie wins. So not the best morals for children, but it made for a good story.
Overall, I'd give it 3.5 stars for the illustrations and overall enjoyment. If you're looking for a deep and good message, it's probably not for you.
I don't know much about the original folk tale this story is based on but I did like the overall plot. It doesn't have a great moral but it was still a fun story. The pacing was good, especially for a children's book.
Setting & World-Building
Set in Ireland, though not sure exactly when. I liked that it was written to reflect the setting.
Characters & Development
Jamie is a terrible character. He's lazy, ungrateful, and conniving. I kind of hated that his behavior is essentially rewarded in the end--was hoping something different would happen to him. I liked and felt sorry for his wife, Eileen, and liked the digs that was made toward Jamie in regards to her having to do all of the work. I liked how the leprechaun tricked Jamie.
Character Relationships
Not really any relationships to speak of. Jamie and his wife don't seem to have a super great one because of his unwillingness to do anything.
Writing & Voice
I liked the witty writing.
Illustrations
I've loved dePaola's illustrations since I was a kid and the ones in this book were good. There's one scene in which Jamie and his animals are all making such angry faces that I couldn't stop laughing. Love the colorful scenes he paints.
Climax & Ending
I enjoyed the climax but the overall ending wasn't my favorite since terrible Jamie wins. So not the best morals for children, but it made for a good story.
Overall, I'd give it 3.5 stars for the illustrations and overall enjoyment. If you're looking for a deep and good message, it's probably not for you.
December 24, 2017
In this retelling of an Irish folktale, the laziest man in all of Ireland is Jamie O’Rourke. When his wife, Eileen, wrenches her back, she cannot harvest the potatoes and it looks as if Jamie will go hungry this winter. However, the luck of the Irish is on Jamie’s side, and he captures a leprechaun.
His wish? All the potatoes he can eat.
What could possibly go wrong?
Will children who read this charming narrative receive a bit of the luck of the Irish themselves? Perhaps. Perhaps not. What is certain is that the story of Jamie, the leprechaun, and the big potato will leave them laughing and demanding to read it all over again.
Highly recommended.
His wish? All the potatoes he can eat.
What could possibly go wrong?
Will children who read this charming narrative receive a bit of the luck of the Irish themselves? Perhaps. Perhaps not. What is certain is that the story of Jamie, the leprechaun, and the big potato will leave them laughing and demanding to read it all over again.
Highly recommended.
March 14, 2019
Genre: Historic Realistic Fiction
Text-to-Teaching Connection
This book could be used in activities for 2nd grade Language Arts/ Reading. I would create an assignment that asked children to describe critical details such as the name of the characters in the story. I would ask the students to retell the story using temporal words such as first, next, then, and finally. I would ask students to find adjectives and adverbs in the story and then write their sentence using that word. As for Science, we could explore how potatoes grow through research and planting one in the classroom.
Text-to-Teaching Connection
This book could be used in activities for 2nd grade Language Arts/ Reading. I would create an assignment that asked children to describe critical details such as the name of the characters in the story. I would ask the students to retell the story using temporal words such as first, next, then, and finally. I would ask students to find adjectives and adverbs in the story and then write their sentence using that word. As for Science, we could explore how potatoes grow through research and planting one in the classroom.
July 26, 2023
An Irish folktale. A good story time read.
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March 18, 2018
Sure now, I don't love how Jamie gets away with bein' so lazy, and sure but I do wish he'd get his comeuppance at least once, but I shunna let that be gettin' in the way of rollin' me "r's" in a twee pot o' gold story that always entertains K, 1st, and 2nd graders. Perfect for a slight dose of leprechaun magic around St. Paddy's Day.
March 31, 2018
Summary: Jamie O'Rourke, the laziest man in Ireland, is about to starve for the winter. When he catches a leprechaun he makes an unusual choice and live with the consequences.
Review: This was cute. I don't feel great about bad behavior being rewarded, but, you know, that seems to be a theme in some books are Ireland. Most notably, I'm remembering the leprechaun book that I just read.
Review: This was cute. I don't feel great about bad behavior being rewarded, but, you know, that seems to be a theme in some books are Ireland. Most notably, I'm remembering the leprechaun book that I just read.
February 1, 2019
I got the board book in the mail (only downside of Better World Books). 100 years ago, this would have been horribly offensive and played into obnoxious Irish stereotypes. The main character is lazy and shiftless.
However, the outcome is funny. Back to the drawing board; I want my daughter’s class to have the full version.
However, the outcome is funny. Back to the drawing board; I want my daughter’s class to have the full version.
March 21, 2025
A retelling of an Irish folktale by Tomie dePaola. Done with his usual illustration and humor, this story is great read aloud for St. Patrick's Day, especially if you are also doing a Tomie dePaola author study (like I am) with my Grade 2 students.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews