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Good luck!: A St. Patrick's Day Story
Joan Holub
Illustrated by Will Terry
Sentences that consist of two to four words constitute this story, but it works fairly well. Most of them are declarative with exclamation points, and there is a rhythm and rhyme to the text. There is also a very simple story. The ants in a St. Patrick’s Day parade spy a green ant and decide to follow him. They encounter clues related to the holiday--a shamrock, a rainbow, and a pot of gold, but in this case the gold is golden crackers--a real feast for the ants. A simple but effective first reader. 2007, Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, $3.99. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-2560-6
ISBN: 978-1-4169-0955-2
ISBN: 1-4169-2560-0
ISBN: 1-4169-0955-9
Ireland: A Question and Answer Book
Mary Dodson Wade
Part of the “Fact Finders Series” of books that now includes more than forty countries, this newest title uses the question-and-answer format to explore the geography, history, government, people, culture, religion, and economy of the nation of Ireland. Each chapter begins with an appropriate question, such as “Where is Ireland?” which is then answered with concise text. The series is marketed for beginning or struggling readers, and the text does a good job of making facts about Ireland’s complicated history, its unusual integration of church and state, and its multitude of traditions, accessible to this group of students by using short sentences and limited vocabulary. Extensive illustrations using photographs, drawings, and maps help the simplified text come alive. Sidebars contain simple graphs, charts, and interesting facts. A reference section includes a glossary, additional print and Internet resources, and an index all designed for the beginning researcher. In addition, the book includes a few Gaelic terms and their pronunciations. This book will be a welcome addition to any library used by second through fourth grade students and will be especially helpful to teachers presenting lessons on Ireland around St. Patrick’s Day. 2007, Capstone Press, $22.60. Ages 6 to 9. Reviewer: Sheryl O’Sullivan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7368-6410-5
ISBN: 978-0-7368-6410-7
Irish Step Dancing
Wendy Garofoli
The girls on the cover have curly hair and are wearing fancy costumes—typical for girls step dancing according to the text by Garofoli. This is a bit of a contrast to the interior pictures that show step dancers in more conservative outfits and with straight hair. The roots of this Irish dance and information about getting started including the different type of shoes and socks are all explained. Step dancing really involves the legs and feet because the arms are kept at the dancer’s sides. The three main dances are the jig, the reel and the hornpipe. There are also set dances where prescribed steps are used to the same music and theses dances can get quite complex. Garofoli gives a good introduction and shows the steps in detail, but this is not a book that will really teach you how to dance. Rather it whets the appetite and encourages kids to join dance clubs or groups to learn how to become Irish step dancers. The glossary provides pronunciation and definitions for some of the Irish terms, a couple of books relating to the subject as well as FactHound help to help young readers safely navigate the Internet.
2008, Snap Books/Capstone, Ages 8 to 10, $25.26. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4296-1351-4
The Luck of the Irish
Margaret McNamara
Illustrated by Mike Gordon
The class is preparing to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and Katie, whose family is Irish, decides to make a shamrock for everyone in the first grade. Her parents describe what the shamrock looks like--three leaves that are heart-shaped. When Katie gets to school, her teacher pulls out a shamrock and shows it to the class, but it is nothing like Katie’s. It has four leaves and they are not heart shaped. After she shows hers to her teacher, they go and look up shamrocks and sure enough, Katie’s are correct. What the teacher has is a four-leaf clover. It is interesting, but it sure does not say much for that teacher. A Level 1 book in the “Ready-To-Read” series which contains tips for parents and teachers on the inside cover. 2007, Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, $3.99. Ages 5 to 7. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-1540-9
ISBN: 1-4169-1540-0
ISBN: 978-1-4169-1539-3
ISBN: 1-4169-1539-7
The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever!
Teddy Slater
Illustrated by Ethan Long
It is March 17th and the Leprechaun family is ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. They dress in green, watch the parade, and go home to fix mulligan stew and green apple punch. Friends come to visit. In a rhymed text, Slater manages to include just about all the stereotypical Irish items. Included are the following: a pot of gold, Aunt Rose “tap-tapping her toes,” an Irish jig and an Irish pig, and cabbage as part of the meal. There are plenty of Irish surnames included as well, although MacGregor is actually Scottish and not Irish. There is no storyline to engage the reader. Even the cartoon characters are stereotyped with their green clothes, red hair and red beards, and gold-buckled shoes. Save your money. 2007, Cartwheel Books/ Scholastic, Ages 4 to 7, $5.99. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-545-03943-7
ISBN: 0-545-03943-6
St. Patrick's Day: Day of Irish Pride
June Preszler
With a brief history of the saint and the introduction of the Irish celebration into America, the reader becomes acquainted with Irish culture. The theme is carried out with information on favorite foods, the shamrock, leprechauns, and parades. Capsules tell further facts, such as: “Green is the national color of Ireland.” An unusual story is told about dyeing the Chicago River green. Directions are given for making a leprechaun trap. Clear, brightly colored photographs, large print, simple vocabulary, and green chapter titles invite children into the text. There is a table of contents, glossary with pronunciation guide, lists for further reading, Web sites, and an index. Part of the “First Facts” series and “Holidays and Culture” extension, this is a resource for libraries for children. 2007, Capstone Press, $21.26. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7368-6398-8
ISBN: 0-7368-6398-2
Too Many Leprechauns
Stephen Krensky
Illustrated by Dan Andreasen
The quiet little town of Dingle, nestled among the rolling hills of Ireland, is upset. Hordes of leprechauns have swarmed in and the incessant tap-tap-tapping of their hammers as they make fairy shoes is driving the villagers crazy. It's up too clever Finn O'Finnegan to set things right. With a determined step he sets out and comes upon a scowling leprechaun named Dobb. Dobb is furiously tapping away and in between taps Finn learns that leprechauns have gold fever and the more fairy shoes they make, the bigger their mountain of gold becomes. How will Finn restore peace to the village without offending the sensitive leprechauns? Children will enjoy the magical twists and turns of this Irish tale and they'll never have to wonder about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow again. Full-page, colorful illustrations depicting whimsical leprechauns and magical rainbows are a perfect complement to the text. A delightful read-aloud, especially for St. Patrick's Day. 2006, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $12.99. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer: Cheri Stowers (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-689-85112-X
ISBN: 978-0-689-85112-4
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Added February 26, 2008
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