St. Patrick's Day / Lá Fhéile Pádraig

[Eastofoz]

Are there any books for children (from 4 to 10) with a St Patrick's Day theme?

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Thanks for your comment! :-) This has actually been one of the more challenging holidays in terms of good picture books, in my experience. I'm hoping to expand the list this year!

I think my favorite book with a specifically St Patrick's Day theme is St. Patrick's Day in the Morning by Eve Bunting and illustrations by Jan Brett. I see many others were not as impressed but here is my review:
"Why did I love it? Well, it's a simple, beautifully told tale of a young boy whose family doesn't think he is old enough/strong enough to march with them (his father and older brothers) up the hill in the annual St. Patty's Day parade. So, early in the morning on St. Patty's day, he wakes up and determines that he is going to have his OWN parade, just him and his dog (and his flute!) up the hill to prove that he can do it! Of course, he succeeds. And he leaves a little ginger soda bottle with a tiny Irish flag (which he got from the kind bake shop lady on his way up the hill) in the center of the stage at the hilltop before he heads home and gets back into bed before anyone else is up. He delights that everyone will marvel and wonder about how that bottle and flag got there so early! I guess I just thought this was such a different sort of way to "prove" oneself--he didn't need everyone to know that he did it, he just wanted to show HIMSELF that he could do it. That quiet confidence is what so many children seem to crave.
If you're a fan of Jan Brett, you'll be surprised by these illustrations, though I quite enjoyed them. They are just black-and-green colors as the cover suggests--none of her fancy borders or bright colors here. I thought they were adorable, though."

ALSO

A Fine St. Patrick's Day
" This is a nice story about the importance of kindness and selflessness and that there are alternatives to being competitive. It's a bit wordy at times and nothing really brilliant in the telling. Also, I was not a fan of the illustrations! The people looked more Italian than Irish, and some of it was just a bit too...um...modern for me (i.e., when people are walking forward, instead of just part of their eye you see the whole eye!) Others might enjoy it, though."

If you expand to Ireland in general then, of course, there are more options. Some I enjoyed, Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure (probably more for the 8+ age group), Fiona's Luck and, for more about the country itself, the classic This Is Ireland

I'm sure Abigail will have some great suggestions, too, given her interest in Ireland.

[Eastofoz]

Thanks for that Kathryn :)

[Eastofoz]

I did some looking around and I came across a few that look cute for kids:

The Night Before St. Patrick's Day (Natasha Wing has a really cute series that takes various holidays and sets them up like "The Night Before Christmas" story).

This looks like a cute one for kids too: Luckiest St. Patrick's Day Ever

This one's a countdown board book: St. Patrick's Day Countdown

Here's a history of the holiday for kids (this seems to be a series of holidays explained for children): St. Patrick's Day

Eve Bunting has another one but no one seems to have reviewed it on GR:
That's What Leprechauns Do

Found a Scooby-Doo one: Scooby-doo Picture Clue #19

And one that doesn't mention the religious side of the holiday: St. Patrick's Day. This one won't be released though until Feb 1st.


If anyone has any of these please let me know what you and your kids thought about them :)

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[Katie]

My favorite St. Patrick's Day book (although it has little to do with the holiday itself, it's just a fun leprechaun story) is Fiona's Luck. It's about a girl outsmarting some leprechauns and winning back the luck they've been hoarding.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

I loved "Fiona's Luck" too, Katie. The illustrations were great! :-)

This reminds me that if we expand our "St Patrick's Day" theme beyond celebrations of the holiday but into LEPRECHAUNS, there are a lot more books out there. I've got some on reserve at the library and will be back with reviews once I've read them.

Eastofoz, looks like you came up with some great books, too! Thanks.

[Eastofoz]

I'd be interested in more Leprechaun stories. Didn't come across many of those. There area quite a few non-fiction ones though on the history of the holiday, the parades etc and also some cute craft books.

[Jane]

There's a book on the saint himself that I love: The Life of Saint Patrick: Enlightener of the Irish. It takes his story straight from the Confessions that he wrote--of being kidnapped, tending sheep as a slave, escaping, getting back home to Britain--then voluntarily returning to Ireland to be a priest there... He had quite a life!
The illustrations are very colorful, done in the ancient Celtic way of illuminating (or is that illumining?--need to look that up... )
It's written and illustrated by Zachary Lynch--not sure how to include a cover here...

[Jane]

By the way, love the idea of this book group--of sharing picture book ideas and conversations. Much easier for me to chime in on than the novels since I still have a little one at home keeping me more than busy! Thanks...

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Jane, thanks so much for the book suggestion. It sounds lovely! I have one out on St Valentine for Valentine's Day and I hope I'll be able to secure a copy of this one in time for St Patrick's Day!

Also, I'm delighted that you are enjoying the new picture book club aspect of our group. Picture books are very dear to my heart and I love sharing and receiving recommendations :-) Looking forward to more ideas from you!

[Eastofoz]

Does anyone know what you do with a "shillelagh"? Recently came across this and all I can gather is that it's a walking stick but there must be more to it than that I'm thinking.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Abigail wrote: "East: Shillelaghs can be used either as walking sticks, or as cudgels. They are often made of very dense woods, like blackthorn or oak, and generally have a rounded top. I know that they were once ..."

A lot of the animosity against the Irish was (and is) because they are Roman Catholic (in my opinion, at least). I'm Catholic myself, not a practicing Catholic and I have very much contempt for many (maybe even the majority) of the teachings of the Catholic Church. There are, however, individuals who continue to view any and all Catholics extremely negatively (but will probably consider themselves enlightened and inclusive if one were to question them).

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Abigail wrote: "Yes, I think anti-Catholic prejudice is part of it, Gundula, but I also think that to claim that religious bigotry (as powerful a force as it may be) is the main reason for anti-Irish sentiment, is..."

That's a very interesting point, and one can certainly find ample historical evidence of British disdain and brutality towards the Irish and their culture. I've usually found with history that it's almost never just one factor, but a combination of many different events and attitudes. And, land theft and exploitation have been happening in colonised lands since the beginning of time, and not just in and by Great Britain, either.

[Eastofoz]

Thanks for the explanation Abigail. I thought it had some kind of magical twist to it in folktales. Does it go by another name? I've never heard of the word.

[Bernadette]

A new retelling of an Irish tale by Eve Bunting:

Finn McCool and the Great Fish

No reviews here on GR yet, but I read a blogger's positive review this morning. Story and illustrations sound great!

[Donna-Lee]

Tales from Old Ireland
This one fits with the Irish theme. Best for children six years and up.
It is available with or without a story CD.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

I just read Leprechauns Never Lie
I wasn't sure at first where this story would be going but I ended up really smiling by the end. I really can't say much or it will give it away, but this is a cute (but not extraordinary) read if you can find it. Like the leprechauns, it is mischievous and clever and rather cute ;-) And I especially enjoyed the cat in every illustration.

[Amy]

Kathryn~~I love "St. Patrick's Day in the Morning" so much more now than when I first read it years ago. Back then ds was a little too immature for it and I think he was bouncing off the walls as I was reading it.
I find my feelings for books change as ds gets older! For example, I am LOVING "The Borrowers" but ds (who just turned seven) is way too immature for it. It is something we will have to tackle again later.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

I'm glad to hear from someone else who loves "St Patrick's Day in the Morning" Kirei ;-)

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

[Skylar]

I'm a day late, but I like The Leprechaun's Gold
by Pamela Duncan Edwards

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24...

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Skylar wrote: "I'm a day late, but I like The Leprechaun's Gold
by Pamela Duncan Edwards

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24..."

I just read that one, too, Skylar and I liked it, as well. The expressions on the faces of the kindly old man and the nasty young man were perfect!

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Amazing that it's time to revive this thread already! I've got a few St. Patrick's Day titles out from the library now and will be back to post my thoughts in the coming weeks.

[Lynn]

My favorite is an old one called, Leprechauns Never Lie

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

St. Patrick's Day was just okay for me. It covers a variety of St. Patrick's Day activities a little boy and his classmates enjoy in the classroom. From wearing something green, to writing a story about St. Patrick and acting it out, to dancing a jig to fiddle music and receiving a little clover plant, the activities sound fun but the story is not conveyed in a very entertaining way. It's more informative. I wanted more vitality and style. Also, since it is so classroom-based (except for the end where the boy's mom makes Irish Soda Bread), it might not be the best choice for kids who aren't yet in the classroom or for homeschool families.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Shannon and The World's Tallest Leprechaun is a cute one (especially if you like dancing and cats!) and it has a different twist on the leprechaun-granting-wishes theme as the girl has to put in a bit of her own effort, too :-)

[Shannon]

Kathryn wrote: "Shannon and The World's Tallest Leprechaun is a cute one (especially if you like dancing and cats!) and it has a different twist on the leprechaun-granting-wishes theme as the girl h..."

Oooh, I will definitely have to look into this one. That's my name and although I am not a total cat lady its fun to find a book for kids with "mom's" name.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Shannon wrote: "Oooh, I will definitely have to look into this one. That's my name and although I am not a total cat lady its fun to find a book for kids with "mom's" name. "

Oh, totally! ;->

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

I only read a few St Patrick's / Ireland themed books this month. The best was The Story of the Leprechaun. It's a cute enough little story about a leprechaun who earns his gold by making adorable shoes for the other fairies and for people in the town. The leprechaun likes to keep his gold, and he keeps it in a pot on his shelf. One day, though, a guy from town stops to order shoes and sees the pot of gold. He decides to steal it when he comes back, but the leprechaun guesses his plan and buries the gold. When the man comes back, though, he catches the leprechaun--now the leprechaun will have to grant his wishes. But the clever leprechaun has a few tricks up his sleeve and, in the process, we learn how the pot of gold got at the end of the rainbow. I appreciated how there was a little moral to this story, about being nice to leprechauns in order to receive their magic, and the illustrations are pretty darn cute. I especially like the front and end papers which show a map of the leprechaun's magical land

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Reviving the thread for this season! :-)

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Any new titles worth mentioning for this year?

[Beverly, former Miscellaneous Club host]

I haven't seen any new St. Patrick's books yet this year, but here are some that I own at home, and have not been mentioned in the thread above.

Hooray for St. Patrick's Day!: this one has flaps to lift, is very short, and so is good for pre-school children.

Lucky Tucker: A little dog's luck changes when he meets a leprechaun. It is very short, good length for pre-school, which is why I bought it, but the illustrations are just OK.

The Luckiest St. Patrick's Day Ever: A rhyming story with leprechauns, a tad longer than the above two books, but still good for pre-school. Cartoon illustrations.

It's St. Patrick's Day!: This beginning reader follows some children celebrating St. Pat's day. It is a Scholastic Reader, Level 1, has one or two sentences per page. For first and second grade students who are learning to read.

St. Patrick's Day Alphabet: Each letter has something Irish associated with it and a short paragraph about that object or concept (A is for accordion; B is for bodhran; etc.) Each letter is on it's own page with a large illustration. For elementary age students.

[Beverly, former Miscellaneous Club host]

The following books are Irish folktales and legends, picture book format, for elementary age students.

Tim O'Toole and the Wee Folk: A very poor Irishman is provided with magical things by the wee folk, but he must then keep his good fortune out of the hands of the greedy McGoons.

Saint Ciaran: The Tale of a Saint of Ireland: Retells some of the legends of Saint Ciaran, an early Irish saint who loved nature and God before Christianity came to Ireland, journeyed to Rome to become a Christian, and returned to Ireland to live as a hermit, surrounded by animals.

The Last Snake in Ireland: A Story about St. Patrick: Before he becomes a saint, Patrick drives all the snakes but one out of Ireland, and that last one ends up in Scotland's Loch Ness.

The King Of Ireland's Son: Sent to find the source of the heavenly music heard throughout the kingdom, the youngest son of the King of Ireland finds a beautiful maiden held captive by a fierce giant. With gorgeous illustrations by P. J. Lynch.

The Ring of Truth: An Original Irish Tale: After the king of the leprechauns bestows on him the Ring of Truth, Patrick O'Kelley no longer expects to win a blarney contest.

[Beverly, former Miscellaneous Club host]

One more very cute picture book that I have used successfully in pre-school story time is:
King Puck: The happy Irish farmer Seamus and his pet goat, Finny, seek the chance of a lifetime at the King Puck Festival. And as Seamus and Finny's adventure unfolds, you'll adore finding the fairies hidden in each of the radiant illustrations. Set against the backdrop of Ireland's oldest and most unusual fair, king puck is a jig-reeling, kid-appealing tale of friendship, fun, and fairy magic!

[Charlotte]

A picture book that isn't for children, but is beautiful, is Saint Patrick: A Visual Celebration. And, of course, the children's book, Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland, is also beautiful.

But my very, very favorite children's book about St. Patrick (and I adore St. Patrick) is Saint Patrick and the Snakes. It was published in Dublin in 1990, and my youngest son's godparents got him a copy when they were there in 1999.

I'm not sure the book could be sold as a children's book in the US. There are snakes that smoke cigarettes and snakes that gamble, and there are druids who have a Workshop and chant:

Bubble, bubble, cauldron bubble
And make the strongest spell;
Banish the snakes, whatever it takes
And send them off to hell.

It's a wonderful, wonderful book.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Thank you so much, Beverly and Charlotte, for these wonderful additions to our list! (I sure hope my library has some of them.)