St. Patrick’s Day is this week, and I wanted to hop on and share a few of our favorite books and recipes. If you’ve been following along here for very long you know that holiday books and foods are two of my favorite ways to celebrate special occasions. This year I put A LOT of St. Patrick’s day and Irish books on hold, and we managed to find a few new favorites! Below are our top picks, a fun mix of books…a few about St. Patrick, a few about the holiday and a couple that aren’t specifically St. Patrick’s day, but are set in Ireland. I’ve included amazon links as well as links to the books being read aloud on YouTube so that you can enjoy them without having to purchase them. *links to books are affiliate links
- A Fine St. Patrick’s Day– This was my favorite new (to me) find this year. A super sweet book about two towns competing to have the best decorations for St. Patrick’s Day. YouTube Read Aloud
- O’Sullivan’s Stew. This one is not specifically St. Patrick’s Day, but set in Ireland. My kids asked me to read this one over and over again. It is a little on the longer side and does have mention of a witch, so it might be better for older children. YouTube Read Aloud read by a women with a far better Irish accent than mine!
- Fiona’s Luck. Another book set in Ireland that tells the story of another clever girl that outwits the Leprechaun King. YouTube read aloud
- The Story of St. Patrick’s Day– This board book is a good introduction to St. Patrick and some of the traditions that surround the day. It is a good book for the “wee little ones” in your life. YouTube Read Aloud.
- Patrick Saint of Ireland– A good book for introducing children to the legends and life of St. Patrick.
- The Luckiest Leprechaun– The story of a grumpy leprechaun and his unlikely friendship with a dog named lucky. YouTube Read Aloud.
- Fiona’s Lace– A wonderful story about a family who immigrates from Ireland and settles in Chicago. You can’t go wrong with Patricia Polacco, and this story is a great way to open up conversations about immigration. YouTube Read Aloud.
- Patrick Patron Saint of Ireland– We love Tomie dePaola, and this one is no exception. YouTube Read Aloud.
- St. Patrick’s Day in the Morning– Eve Bunting is another great author, and this cute story follows little Jamie the morning of St. Patrick’s day as he has his own little parade. YouTube Read Aloud.
- That’s What Leprechauns Do– Another Eve Bunting story that follows three leprechauns as the play tricks on their way to do their most important duty. YouTube Read Aloud.
You can’t have a festive read aloud without a festive snack to go with the books, well you can, but it’s definitely not as tasty! Luckily, it doesn’t take much to pull off a treat fit for a St. Patrick’s Day read aloud session! Here are some simple snacks to pair with your reading!
- Green Food Snack Tray- A St. Patrick’s day food tray is super easy to pull off thanks to the abundance of green foods! Put everyone’s favorite green fruits and vegetables together on a tray. The bonus here is that it’s healthy! Of course you can add a few little treats as well! Here are some green foods to consider:
- Kiwi
- Green grapes
- green apples
- green pears
- green peppers
- celery
- sugar snap peas
- edamame
- Guacamole
2. Avocado Toast- Another great green food that works as a snack or a festive breakfast. Get extra festive and use a cookie cutter to make them into shamrocks. Pair with a side of green fruit or a cup of green smoothie for a full breakfast!
3. Shamrock Cookies- Shamrock cookies are a recipe that my mom used to make growing up. I love that they are easy for kids to help make by rolling the balls together, and it’s a great opportunity to discuss and teach about the Trinity just like legend says St. Patrick did. Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and add green food coloring. Then roll three small balls and flatten together, then add a small stem.
4. St. Patrick popcorn- Pop some popcorn and add green m&ms and gummy snakes for a fun little treat. The snakes represent the legend that St. Patrick chased all the snakes from Ireland and the green m&ms for the emerald island.
5. Go a more traditional route and make an Irish Tea Cake, Irish soda bread or Irish scones to enjoy during an Irish read aloud tea.
6. Green Fruit Dip- Mix 1 part Key Lime Yogurt and 1 part Cool Whip to make a super easy and yummy fruit dip. Add a few green sprinkles and serve with green grapes and green apple slices.
For other fun ideas check out these other St. Patrick’s Day posts:
10 Simple & Festive Things to do for St. Patrick’s Day
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day- History and Traditions for Your Family.
Here is a printable St. Patrick’s Day Prayer Card you can add to your celebration. (It also includes a Prayer Card for the feast of St. Joseph, March 19)
Cheers!
Megan
