Help spread the luck of the Irish on March 17th as you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your students! Listed below are 17 of our favorite St. Patrick’s Day books. Your students will love learning about Ireland, St. Patrick, and, of course, taking adventures with those mischievous little leprechauns!
1. St. Patrick’s Day by Gail Gibbons
If you are familiar with author and illustrator Gail Gibbons, you know she covers it all in her nonfiction picture books! This is a great way to introduce your students to fun facts about Irish culture, the history behind St. Patrick’s Day, and common traditions surrounding the holiday.
2. Patrick: The Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePaola
This beautifully written and illustrated book by beloved Tomie dePaola explores the true beginnings of Patrick’s life, along with the legends associated with him. This is a great introduction to the whimsical world of Tomie dePaola, if you are not familiar with him.
3. Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola
Fans of Tomie dePaola will love his take on this Irish folk tale about Jamie O’Rourke, the laziest man in all of Ireland. He ends up growing the largest potato in the world after a chance encounter with a leprechaun. Will the potato take over his village?
4. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover by Lucille Colandro
Kids love Lucille Colandro’s Old Lady series, and this book does not disappoint! Watch what happens as she swallows a clover, gold, a fiddle, and more!
5. Lucky Tucker by Leslie McGuirk
Poor Tucker got off on the wrong paw on St. Patrick’s Day morning. After a series of unfortunate events, his day greatly improves after a roll in a four leaf clover patch.
6. The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day by Natasha Wing
On the eve of St. Patrick’s day, Maureen and Tim set up a number of leprechaun traps. The next morning, to their delight, one has been caught!
7. Magic Tree House Merlin’s Mission#15: Leprechaun in Late Winter by Mary Pope Osborne
In this wildly popular chapter book series, Jack and Annie travel back in time to Ireland. Their mission: to inspire a girl named Augusta to ensure she grows up into her future self (Lady Gregory, an important patron of the dramatic arts).
8. Leprechauns and Irish Folklore: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House: Leprechaun in Late Winter by Mary Pope Osborne
Your students can take a deeper dive into all things Ireland into this nonfiction companion to the aforementioned historical fictional book.
9. The Berenstain Bears’ St. Patrick’s Day by Mike Berenstain
Join Mama, Papa, and the cubs as Gramps takes them on a St. Patrick’s Day adventure, which includes a festive parade through Bear Town’s Main Street.
10. How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace
In this whimsical, rhyming tale, your students will love seeing how the leprechaun avoids getting trapped while still managing to steal tasty treats and trash every house he visits!
11. Follow me Around Ireland by Wiley Blevins
In this nonfiction book, learn about the history and culture of Ireland past and present through the eyes of Irish native Seamus.
12. Pete the Cat: The Great Leprechaun Chase by James Dean
Our favorite musical feline is back with another adventure. This time he is opening his very own leprechaun-catching business! Will he succeed?
13. Fiona’s Luck by Teresa Bateman
This magical story takes a different take on leprechaun folklore. In this original tale, an evil Leprechaun King has stolen all the good luck out of Ireland and locked it away from its residents. Read on to find out if Fiona is able to save the day and help restore good fortune to all.
14. Green Shamrocks by Eve Bunting
Rabbit’s pot of green shamrocks that he has carefully grown has been stolen, just when St. Patrick’s Day is about to arrive. Your students will love helping Rabbit and his friends try and solve the mystery!
15. The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever by Teddy Slater
See for yourself how a leprechaun family celebrates their favorite holiday together on March 17th in this fun rhyming tale.
16. That’s What Leprechauns Do by Eve Bunting
Three leprechauns are given the important task of burying a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Of course, they end up getting into plenty of mischief instead of staying focused on their assignment!
17. The Leprechaun’s Gold by Pamela Duncan Edwards
In this Irish folktale, Young Tom and Old Pat enter a contest to see who is the best harpist in all of Ireland. When Tom cheats to get ahead, a leprechaun uses his magic to make things right again.
What are your favorite St. Patrick’s Day books? Share in the comments below!
And make sure to check out top St. Patrick’s Day activities here!
