Friday, February 18, 2011

Setting the Mood for St. Patrick's Day: Picture Book Recommendations

With St. Patrick's Day a month away now, it's a great time to head to the library and snatch up some picture books to help set the mood for the upcoming holiday. Here are  my family's favorites!



Delightful illustrations and a charming tale where good deeds are rewarded, The Leprechaun's Gold, by Henry Cole, has been a family St. Patrick's Day favorite for many years now!  Two harp players trudge to town to try their hand at a music contest.  A generous, poor musician, a young, greedy musician, and some leprechauns give this tale a timeless message!

Does the notorious St. Pat's day trickster always have to be a villain? This is an enduring tale where love triumphs over gold! The main character refuses to take the gold offered by a leprechaun for saving his life... but the tricky leprechaun presents gold in another format that is the best sort of treasure, a true companion! My 6 &8 year olds love the story, so you know it's not too mushy.


A talking goat that loves to read? A delightful tale with colorful, charming illustrations by Micheal Garland. Your child will have fun searching for fairies throughout... An average looking goat, Puck is named "King" for a day after winning a contest.  He wins not by his looks, but for his intelligence (he recites a favorite story)!  He can name his treasure for winning the contest, and what does he choose? More Books for he and his human companion to share! So a librarian brings a new load every week thereafter... Aw, shucks.  Gotta love this one! (author's note includes history of King Puck Festival).




Of course, all those stories about good leprechauns and good people need some context...  Clever Tom and the Leprechaun, by Linda Shute, is a more traditional story where a greedy gold seeker gets tricked by a clever leprechaun.  Fun to read... an annual tradition!






2 comments:

  1. Clever Tom was one of my favorite books when my girls were little!

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  2. Yay! Watch out for those tricky little people :)

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