March is a time when we celebrate all things Irish. Whip up a batch of scones and have a nice cup of Irish breakfast tea, as you settle in with one of these great reads that celebrates the spirit of Ireland.
Our youngest readers will enjoy How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace and illustrated by Andy Elkerton.
This zany tale has a leprechaun spreading mischief and evading traps, which will ensure many giggles from your reader. Wallace has 13 additional titles in the How to Catch series, so you will want to be sure to put them on your reading list.
Another fun read to share is Too Many Leprechauns: Or How the Pot O’Gold Got to the End of the Rainbow by Stephen Krensky and illustrated by Dan Andreasen. Finn O’Finnegan returns to his home of Dingle to discover that leprechauns have his village in chaos. This charming tale explains how the pot of gold made it to the end of the rainbow.
Slightly older readers will enjoy an adventure to old world Ireland in Leprechaun in Late Winter by Mary Pope Osborne. This 43rd installment in the Magic Tree House series is full of magic, myth, humor, and history.
Another great choice for older readers is O’Sullivan Stew by Hudson Talbot. Our heroine Kate uses her wits to tell entertaining stories in an effort to save herself, her family, and her village.
Irish author Eoin Colfer’s beloved series Artemis Fowl is always a great choice for kids and adults who enjoy fantasy. Artemis is a 12-year old millionaire criminal mastermind who takes on a high-tech group of fairies in an effort to steal their gold and find his missing father. Even if you have seen the 2020 film, Artemis Fowl, based on this series it is definitely worth the read.
Riley Cain’s Banshee Rising takes the Irish folklore of banshees and puts an adventurous twist on the classic tale. In this page-turner, 15-year-old Kaitlyn is pulled into an epic battle as she learns about her family’s past. Be sure to keep an eye out for ghostly cameos by Jonathan Swift and others.
If you are in the mood for an entrancing biography, adult readers will find much to enjoy in Tis’ Herself by Maureen O’Hara. Having been a life-long fan, I could not put down her autobiography. I highly recommend this one if you are interested in a peek at the woman off screen.
If fiction is more your thing, be sure to check out the Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French. The series opener, In the Woods, won multiple awards and investigates the murder of a 12-year old girl. This one is a bit grittier and currently has 6 novels in the series.
Contributor Lori Skinner is the Head Librarian for Northwest-Shoals Community College (NW-SCC). For more information, she can be contacted at 256-331-6288 or lori.skinner@nwscc.edu. . NW-SCC Libraries are open to the public and look forward to serving your library needs.
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