Two Picture Books for the Irish!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today I'm reposting my two favorite books for this Irish Saint from the 4th Century...

You can read my post about this fun alphabet book, S is for Shamrock, here.

I also highly recommend a more serious book, The Life of Saint Patrick: Enlightener of the Irish. (My past post reviewing this lovely book can be found here.)

Not to worry if you don't have it!  Kids will enjoy listening to the book, read by Chrissi Hart on her podcast "Under the Grapevine",  here.  

A Little Limerick-y Nonsense for St. Patrick's Day

My daughter snapped this cute photo of my grandson with a fun Roald Dahl quote last week in San Diego - the quote is perfect for my St. Patrick's Day post today...

So how about this "Little Nonsense":  90 degree weather in Southern California. In March!  

Today is thankfully a bit cooler, but we really haven't had much of a winter this year. We're relishing the sun, but praying for rain as we enter a fourth year of drought.

Roald Dahl wasn't the only one who appreciated nonsense. Edward Lear was a master at it, especially with limericks - witty poems of five lines that have a specific and distinctive rhythm. 

When I think of limericks, I think of Ireland - maybe because the word sounds so Irish.  I discovered there are both a city and county of Limerick in Ireland, and that is where the limerick poem gets its name from.  But whether the poems actually originated there has long been up for debate.  

How about a limerick for St. Patrick's Day:

In Ireland you won’t find a snake 

In a field, a forest or lake. 

If you’re happy with that 

 Give thanks to St. Pat, 

He did it for everyone’s sake.


[source - Nothing But Limericks blog]

Luke Dingman icon 

Here's a silly limerick from Edward Lear:

There once were two cats of Kilkenny. 

Each thought that was one cat too many, 

So they started to fight 
And to scratch and to bite– 

Now, instead of two cats, there aren’t any.

And don't forget Mother Goose:

Hickory dickory dock, 

the mouse ran up the clock; 

the clock struck one 
the mouse ran down; 

hickory dickory dock!

Try writing your own limerick, following these rules...

1- The five lines have a specific pattern: the first, second and fifth lines (the longer lines) rhyme; and the third and fourth (shorter) lines rhyme. (AABBA) 

2 - This five line poetry also follows a syllable count. 
Line 1: 7-10 syllables 
Line 2: 7-10 syllables 
Line 3: 5-7 syllables 
Line 4: 5-7 syllables 
Line 5: 7-10 syllables

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Do you have a favorite limerick?

"S" is for Shamrock: A Fun St. Patrick's Day Read-Aloud for the Whole Family

S is for Shamrock by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Matt Falkner, is part of the Discover the World book series by Sleeping Bear Press (2007) - and is a perfect read aloud choice for your family this St. Paddy's Day!

 "P" is for St. Patrick...

St. Patrick taught the fish to jump.

He drove the snakes away.

It seems the whole world honors him 

on each St. Patrick's Day!

 "W" is for Writers...

There are so many writers

that it's hard to name them all.

How could they have fitted

in a country that's so small?

The reason I'm recommending this blarney book as a family read aloud is that the full page spreads for each letter of the alphabet have short rhyming verses that are fun for younger kids, while parents and older children will enjoy the further information and historical details given in the sidebars.

For example, on the "W" is for Writers page (pictured above), the author notes that long ago Irish storytellers, shanachies, went from house to house telling their tales and were welcomed and revered by the people of Ireland.  She then shares about some famous Irish storytellers from modern times.

So sit down, brew yourself a pot of Irish Breakfast tea, and read this book with your kids on March 17!  (Go here for my other book recommendations for St. Patrick's Day.)

THE TRUE STORY OF ST. PATRICK

Zachary Lynch's Life of Saint Patrick, Enlightener of the Irish, published by Conciliar Press, tells the exciting story of this beloved Saint. Born in Scotland, he was captured at the age of 16 and brought to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep.  During this time, he came to have a deep faith in God, and eventually escaped.


After returning home, he became a priest and then a bishop and later went back to Ireland as a missionary, bringing Christianity to its people.  He died March 17, 461. 

Lynch's gorgeous Celtic illuminations bring St. Patrick's story to life, and draw us into the isolated land of a pagan Irish King and his druids.

St. Patrick Puppet Craft
Your kids might enjoy making this cute paper bag St. Patrick puppet.  The instructions can be found here...

source

The Lorica ("Breastplate") of St. Patrick 

The story of this prayer is that Patrick and his followers used it to protect themselves from many dangers and from the people who wanted to kill them as they travelled across Ireland. (It is also called the "Deer's Cry" because their enemies saw not men, but deer, as they passed by in pursuit of Patrick and his followers). It may not have been written by St. Patrick, but is considered to reflect his theological focus on the Trinity. It is one of my favorite prayers, especially helpful during times of trouble or distress. 

Iconography by Dn. Matthew D. Garrett - source

You can find a link here, but I'll include a short verse:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left
Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.