Looking for reading suggestions to enjoy with your kiddos as March 17 approaches? I’ve got good news! Today I’m sharing a fun list of St. Patrick’s Day books for kids to help you learn about the origins of the holiday and the fun ways it’s celebrated today.
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I’ve met my share of folks who don’t know much about Patrick or his story, much less why the Irish people — and others around the world — celebrate his life each year. That’s why it’s so important to be sure our kids understand the backgrounds behind holidays like St. Patrick’s Day.
To help them dig in and learn more, I’ve got a fun list of St. Patrick’s Day books you can look for at your library or favorite bookseller. There’s a good mix of old and new, as well as just for fun books and selections about Patrick himself.
St. Patrick’s Day Books for Kids
Before we jump into the books, keep in mind that the links in the descriptions below all lead to Amazon. If you prefer to support local bookstores through your purchases, see this similar Bookshop.org list.
Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland
Tomie dePaola’s Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland is a great place to start for learning about Patrick and his legacy. It tells the factual account of Patrick’s story nicely, but also explains some of the legends that go along with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
St. Patrick’s Day
Gail Gibbons’ St. Patrick’s Day is another great option for exploring the holiday with younger kids. It’s got lots of vivid illustrations and contains a good overview of Patrick’s life, as well as why and how the holiday is currently celebrated.
Shamrocks, Harps, and Shillelaghs
This one from Edna Barth is a great way to dive into the symbols associated with St. Patrick’s Day. It covers St. Patrick himself, wearing green versus wearing orange and white, leprechauns, shamrocks, and more.
The St. Patrick’s day Shillelagh
The St. Patrick’s Day Shillelagh is a great book to work into your reading plans. It’s the story of a boy immigrating to America during the potato famine and how his experiences trickle down from generation to generation.
The Story of St. Patrick’s Day
Looking for St. Patrick’s Day books to read with the little ones? The Story of St. Patrick’s Day is a great choice. This board book pairs colorful illustrations with simple text to help young children learn the story behind the holiday.
The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day
Do your kids enjoy reading The Night Before Christmas each year? Along those same lines, The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day puts a fun spin on that Christmas classic.
St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning
St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning from Eve Bunting and Jan Brett is a great option if you’re looking for tried and true St. Patrick’s Day books. Using captivating green and yellow illustrations, it tells the story of a boy named Jamie who wants nothing more than to prove he’s old enough to walk in the town’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato
Another great St. Patrick’s Day book from Tomie dePaola, Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato focuses on an Irish folktale by sharing the story of “the laziest man in all of Ireland.”
Worth noting from a character trait perspective, his laziness isn’t punished or corrected. That said, the story itself is fun and provides plenty of opportunity for discussions about what usually happens when we embrace laziness.
How to Catch a Leprechaun
Looking for a book to inspire some St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans? How to Catch a Leprechaun is a fun option if your kids enjoy setting leprechaun traps and that sort of thing. :)
The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever
The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever is a cute way to spark imagination. It’s the story of a leprechaun family and how they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Need a way to document all you’ve learned about St. Patrick’s Day? We use and happily recommend these notebooking pages. :)
