10 Picture Books for St Patrick’s Day
Today I’m sharing our top 10 picture books for St Patrick’s Day. Picture books are always one of the first things that I plan for upcoming holidays and topics. My students love listening to stories, or looking through the books themselves. Plus, there are so many amazing learning opportunities with books! Today I’m sharing our top 10 most popular books that we use for St Patrick’s Day in the classroom.
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What is St. Patrick’s Day?
St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated on March 17th, is a cultural and religious holiday that honors St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It marks the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is celebrated worldwide with parades, traditional music, and the wearing of green. While it has deep historical and religious roots, it is also known for fun traditions like leprechauns, shamrocks, and searching for pots of gold.
For our young students, St. Patrick’s Day is a fantastic opportunity to explore Irish culture, storytelling, and festive themes through books. Whether you’re teaching in a special education classroom or looking for interactive read-alouds.. Picture books can bring the magic of the holiday to life. Below are 10 of my favorite picture books to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your students!
How to Catch a Leprechaun
Why You’ll Love It: This fun and whimsical story follows children as they try to catch a sneaky leprechaun! With its rhyming text and bright illustrations, it keeps kids engaged while sparking creativity.
🟢 Perfect for: Predicting, sequencing, and discussing STEM-based traps!
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
The Itsy Bitsy Leprechaun
Why You’ll Love It: This adorable rhyming board book is perfect for young learners. It follows a tiny leprechaun on a magical St. Patrick’s Day adventure with playful and engaging text.
🟢 Perfect for: Early readers, rhyming practice, and interactive storytelling.
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover
Why You’ll Love It: This St. Patrick’s Day spin on the classic “There Was an Old Lady” series takes kids through a silly sequence of events as the old lady swallows different holiday-themed items.
🟢 Perfect for: Sequencing activities, prediction, and repetition.
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
The Night Before St Patrick’s Day
Why You’ll Love It: This book, inspired by “The Night Before Christmas,” follows two children as they prepare for St. Patrick’s Day and try to catch a mischievous leprechaun.
🟢 Perfect for: Rhyming practice, sequencing, and predicting outcomes.
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
Ten Lucky Leprechauns
Why You’ll Love It: This counting book introduces young readers to leprechauns searching for a pot of gold. It combines math and fun rhymes, making it a great educational choice.
🟢 Perfect for: Counting practice, rhyming, and engaging group reading.
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
The Luckiest St Patrick’s Day Ever
Why You’ll Love It: A lively, rhyming story that takes children through a fun-filled St. Patrick’s Day parade with dancing, music, and celebrations!
🟢 Perfect for: Vocabulary building, rhythm and rhyme, and St. Patrick’s Day traditions.
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
Jack and the Leprechaun
Why You’ll Love It: This story follows Jack the mouse as he learns about Irish traditions and folklore while trying to catch a leprechaun. A great introduction to St. Patrick’s Day legends.
🟢 Perfect for: Teaching Irish culture, legends, and traditions.
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
The Story of the Leprechaun
Why You’ll Love It: This book explores the legend of the leprechaun, explaining why they hide their gold and how they became part of St. Patrick’s Day folklore.
🟢 Perfect for: Learning about mythology, storytelling, and traditions.
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
Green Shamrocks
Why You’ll Love It: A charming tale about a rabbit who grows his own shamrocks and learns about the importance of patience, friendship, and kindness.
🟢 Perfect for: Teaching themes of growth, responsibility, and friendship.
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
Hooray for St Patrick’s Day
Why You’ll Love It: A fun and interactive story that explains different St. Patrick’s Day traditions while engaging kids in a guessing-game format.
🟢 Perfect for: Learning holiday traditions, engaging read-alouds, and classroom discussions.
Click on the links to check out this book on Amazon USA or UK.
How to Use These Books in the Classroom
To make these books interactive and engaging, try these St. Patrick’s Day activities:
- 🍀 Sensory Bins – Fill a bin with green rice, gold coins, and shamrocks while discussing elements of the story.
- 📚 Story Sequencing – Have students retell key events using visual sequencing cards.
- 🎭 Role-Playing – Let students act out the story using props like leprechaun hats or pretend gold!
- ✂️ Craft Connections – Create rainbow crafts, leprechaun traps, or paper shamrocks inspired by the books.
What about you? What are your favorite books to use for St Patrick’s Day with your students? Let me know in the comments below.
And if you’re trying to think up what themes to use through March with your students, check out this blog post full of ideas for you.
Helpful Links
You may also like;
- Free St Patrick’s Day Adapted Book
- St Patrick’s Day Play Dough Set Up
- Free St Patrick’s Day Book Companion
- St Patrick’s Day Classroom Crime Scene
- 15 Free St Patrick’s Day Activities
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