Spread Irish Cheer with St. Patrick’s Day Books This March
St. Patrick’s Day is my favorite day of the year. My grandmother hails from Co. Monaghan in Ireland and I grew up Irish dancing. I usually don’t even decorate my classroom for Valentine’s Day and I just skip to St. Patrick’s Day after Christmas! That’s how much I love this day!
Over the years I’ve used several books to teach both my students and Irish dancers about Irish history and traditions. I’ve compiled a list of 5 of my favorites that I have used.
If you are looking for some online book, be sure to use the link below to check out my St. Patrick’s Day book collection on Epic!
Check out my Epic Collection- St. Patrick’s Day!
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St. Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland
By Tomie DePaola
St. Patrick’s Day is more than just a celebration, it is a day to honor St. Patrick and this book does just that! DePaola uses his art and words to tell the story of St. Patrick. I especially like the end where a few of the legends based around St. Patrick are explained. Grab this book here!
Rínce: The Fairytale of Irish Dance
By Gretchen Gannon
If you are looking to bring some folktale into your classroom, then look no further than Rínce. This sweet story tells the tale of how Irish dance may have come to be- from a feud between fairies and humans in the Irish town of Rínce. Students will love the story of Delia and Prince Finn as they dance and unite the two kingdoms. Grab this book here!
A Fine St. Patrick's Day
By Susan Wojciechowski
This is a fun story about the power of kindness. Every year the towns of Tralee and Tralah hold a St. Patrick’s Day decoration competition. Tralee had never won, but with the guidance of young Fiona Riley, they were determined to win! But then a small man dressed in green needs help, and no one in Tralah would lend a helping hand. The people of Trelee step up, but it meant they would not be able to finish decorating. Who will win this year’s competition? Grab the book here to find out!
Saint Patrick
By Ann Tompert
Illustrated By Michael Garland
This is another story of the history of St. Patrick, but it was the artwork that drew me to this book. The illustrator does a wonderful job of capturing the words on the page and making you feel part of the story. Check out the book here!
S is for Shamrock: An Ireland Alphabet
By Eve Bunting
If you are looking for a little bit of everything from Ireland, then this is the book for you. This book is filled with Irish history and traditions. My favorite letters are B for Blarney Stone, K is for Book of Kells, and R for Riverdance. Grab this book here!
It was hard for me to narrow down the books I wanted to share here, so please let me know what your favorite St. Patrick’s Day book is in the comments!
If you are looking for St. Patrick’s Day activities to accompany these books, be sure to check out my St. Patrick biography and activities here.
