St. Patrick’s Day Books for Elementary Students in Upper Grades
1. Fiona’s Luck by Teresa Bateman
This book offers a great opportunity to discuss sequence of events, vocabulary, character traits, and theme.
2. Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato: An Irish Folktale by Tomie dePaola
Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato is a short Irish folktale that focuses on Jamie O’Rourke, the laziest man in Ireland. He encounters and leprechaun and makes an unusual deal.
Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato offers an opportunity to discuss cause and effect with your upper elementary students.
3. O’Sullivan Stew by Hudson Talbot
4. Patrick – Patron Saint of Ireland by Tomie dePoala
This book is a lengthier picture book. It recounts the life of Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, in great detail. It also recalls a number of legends associated with St. Patrick such as how he drove the snakes from Ireland.
5. St. Patrick’s Day by Gail Gibbons
Just like Patrick – Patron Saint of Ireland, this book, St. Patrick’s Day, discusses the life of Saint Patrick, but in less detail. It also goes over some of the traditions associated with the holiday. Just as in the previous book, it discusses some of the legends as well.
6. S is for Shamrock: An Ireland Alphabet by Eve Bunting
S is for Shamrock gives readers a guided tour of Ireland through short rhyming verses on each page. There are also images and sidebars that provide more information and historical details.
7. Looney Limericks by Frank Jacobs
Looney Limericks contains a collection of 60 limericks.
They are fun to read, easy to memorize, and would make a great sample to teach students how to write limericks as well as have them orally present limericks.
You can grab this FREE limerick resource to share with your students.
