Here is a list of St. Patrick’s Day books for kids, just in time for them to be delivered before the big green day. St. Paddy’s Day has become a fun holiday for Americans, given that there are more Irish here in America than in Ireland! Children chase after each other on the playground, preparing to pinch everyone who doesn’t wear green. This was always my least favorite part of St. Patrick’s Day, and I’d often bring extra green items of clothing with me to pass out to friends and co-workers who wanted pinch protection.
I’m a book lover, and I enjoy themes. On St. Patrick’s Day, I’ll eat green food all day, listen to some Irish music, and read a book about Ireland or St. Patrick himself. I’ve compiled a list of kid’s books that cover St. Patrick’s Day no matter what type of holiday you celebrate – religious or secular. We have always liked doing a little bit of both. We teach our kids the religious origins of the holiday and we play leprechaun games and look for clover and rainbows. Like most Americans, I’m a little bit Irish meself. My first Irish ancestor came to Pennsylvania in 1750, well before America was a nation.
St. Patrick’s Day Books
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Clover
This is one of my favorite children’s book series. When my little sister was in early Elementary school, she brought home this ziploc bag with a bunch of cut out animals and sat by herself singing “There was an old lady who swallowed a fly” from start to finish, putting each animal into the ziploc bag as the song progressed to the old lady eating that poor animal. She was as cute as a button and every time I see one of these books, I sing the lyrics to the original tune and I think of how sweet she looked that day.
She wasn’t usually that sweet, if you know what I mean. Ugh. Bratty sisters, right. <ahem>
Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola
Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola is the religious story of St. Patrick. This book is excellent for people that enjoy vintage children’s book art.
This tells the story of Patrick including his faith in God. This is not the modern story of St. Patrick, this is for families that want their children to know that there was a St. Patrick. The legends are included at the end of the book, but presented as legends. For Catholic families this is a great addition to your library.
The Secret Life of Leprechauns
The Secret Life of Leprechauns is a simple picture book for smaller children, aged 2-6. For families that aren’t religious but enjoy participating in the secular celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, this is the book for you.
All of the fun legends about Leprechauns are laid out, page by page. This book does not follow a story format. It is more like “one Leprechaun myth at a time.”
This might be the perfect treasure to plant at the end of a rainbow for the children.
Berenstain Bears St. Patrick’s Day by Mike Berenstain
Generation X parents love nothing more than to sit down with their kids and read a Berenstain Bear book. The books are no more than five minutes long so you can read them to the kid, have some nostalgia and then go stream Friends or, if you are me, go to bed at nine o’clock.
Apparently there is a Leprebear…? at the end of the rainbow, and I bet there is a lesson to be learned by brother and sister bear to not push their luck. Or something.
How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace
I read this to a class of first or second graders once upon a time when parents were still allowed to enter classrooms and read to the children. I attempted an Irish accent and the children laughed and laughed.. at me. But the book is funny, too.
Let me know if there are any St. Patrick’s day books that you love and I’ll add them to the list!
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