Are you looking for the best Irish children’s books that are great choices for your kids? When it comes to finding the perfect books for your little ones, it can be challenging to know where to start.
There are so many great titles out there that it can be tough to pick which ones to recommend to your young children. Irish children’s books are a good choice.
They are some of the world’s most popular books well-loved for their humor, poignant stories, and bright illustrations. Here are some of the best Irish children’s books you can get for your little ones.
Things you'll find in this article
- 9 Best Irish Children’s Books To Get Your Little Ones
- 1. Knights of the Borrowed Dark
- 2. Under the Hawthorn Tree
- 3. Fiona’s Luck
- 4. The Great Irish History Book
- 5. The Hounds of the Morrigan
- 6. Meanwhile Back on Earth
- 7. Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure
- 8. Brendan and the Blarney Stone
- 9. The Day I Got Trapped in My Brain
9 Best Irish Children’s Books To Get Your Little Ones
1. Knights of the Borrowed Dark
Author: Dave Rudden
The book recounts the story of Denizen Hardwick who doesn’t believe that magic is real although he has grown up reading fantasy books in the orphanage. But all that changes one night, when a shadowy monster attacks him.Denzien is flung into a mysterious world where he possesses magical powers that he must use against bad guys and evil creatures.
If you’re a fan of Ursula Le Guin and/or Terry Pratchett, you will love this Irish children’s book!
BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.
2. Under the Hawthorn Tree
Author: Marita Conlon-McKenna
Marita Conlon McKenna’s Under the Hawthorn Tree is a historical fiction novel ideal for kids ages from 8 to 12.
What makes this novel different from most children’s books around is the fact that the author does not eschew from the dark stuff or attempt to treat her readers like a child (eventhough they are!).
Under the Hawthorn Tree takes place in the 19th-century Emerald Isle.
It tells the tale of the O’Driscoll kids as they embark in an adventure in their quest to find their estranged family members whom they have been separated from during The Great Famine in Ireland.
Join the O’Driscoll children in their meaningful journey that’s laden with hardships, obstacles, and grief – everything they must win over in order for them to accomplish their great mission.
BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.
3. Fiona’s Luck
Author: Teresa Bateman
Fiona’s Luck is a marvelous children’s book that serves as a fun way to introduce your children to Irish culture. The illustrations are fabulous but not brightly colored enough for little kids.
Also, the book’s a little bit long, so it’s best suited for older kids. Adults will also love this original folktale.
Fiona’s Luck is an enticing tale that’s filled with wit and magic.
It tells about the greedy Leprechaun King who has stripped Ireland of all its good fortune and has it locked away.
Sharp-witted Fiona devises a plan to retrieve what the leprechauns have taken – the luck and all the good tidings – and bring them back to the Irish people. The witty girl outwits the mighty Leprechaun King and restores the luck in the whole of Ireland.
BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.
4. The Great Irish History Book
Author: Myles Dungan
For some people, children and adults alike, the subjects of culture, history, and geography can be both daunting and boring. If you want no such experience for your kids, grab a copy of famous Irish author and historian Myles Dungan’s The Great Irish History Book!
With the book’s fun illustrations and clear text, there will be no dull moment reading and understanding Ireland and its amazing people and history.
The Great Irish History Book tackles all stuff Irish – from the Celtic people, to the Famine, and up to the 1916 Rising.
All these are introduced in a kid-friendly approach paired with fantastic drawings. The Great Irish History Book is perfect for readers of every age.
BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.
5. The Hounds of the Morrigan
Author: Pat O’Shea
It took Irish author Pat O’Shea 13 years to complete the children’s novel The Hounds of the Morrigan.
The book tells about the thrilling adventures of siblings Pidge and Brigit as they battle against mythological characters after finding the dog-eared pages of an ancient manuscript in a second-hand bookstore in Galway, inadvertently releasing Olc-Glas the serpent.
The Hounds of the Morrigan is an excellent story to share with your children of any age.
BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.
6. Meanwhile Back on Earth
Author: Oliver Jeffers
An amazing picture book that will endow readers with an insight on our tiny spot in space, Meanwhile Back on Earth by Oliver Jeffers follows a father of two as he takes them on an adventure-filled journey into the outer space.
As the family sets off into space, they get to have a look at Mother Earth and back into history from the distance. Here they see the wars, territorial battles, and human conflicts that have occurred since the dawn of time.
An excellent tale for families not only in Ireland but everywhere, Meanwhile Back on Earth provides a novel way to see life on Earth through another perspective.
Told in the author’s witty perspective, this Irish children’s book becomes a short lesson on the history of the world as well as a guide to the universe.
BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.
7. Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure
Author: Daniel San Souci
Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure is an Irish folktale that follows the adventure of the brave heroine, Margaret, who takes advantage of the opportunity to set off in an adventure to see the world when a ship arrives in the port.
Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure is a graphic and gripping adventure with bright illustrations.
It will take you to Margaret’s perspective as she embarks on her journey through the high seas, where she must battle against sea monsters and disasters, overcome an horrific giant and a terrible old hag, and save her beloved so they could live happily ever after.
This Irish children’s book is an inspiring tale of feminism, where a woman is featured as saving a man and not the other way around.
BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.
8. Brendan and the Blarney Stone
Author: Marita O’Donovan
The Blarney Stone, as you may already know, is believed to bestow one with the “gift of gab.” Brendan and the Blarney Stone is an endearing Irish children’s book that will attempt to answer the question if kissing the famous Blarney Stone can be the solution to the hero’s troubles.
The book follows the story of Brendan the leprechaun.
When he plays the tin whistle, it creates a beautiful music that is sweeter than the sweetest of songbirds.
There is one problem, however. No matter how great he plays this instrument, Brendan could not speak as well as he makes sounds with the tin whistle.
When he speaks, his words come out jumbled. For instance, when he buys peas, he says “cheese” to the shopkeeper. Will kissing the Blarney Stone solve his speech problem, as legends say?
BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.
9. The Day I Got Trapped in My Brain
Author: Amy Huberman
There are two words to best describe this book: “warm” and “funny.” This is the story of Frankie, a girl with a world inside her head called Thoughtopolis.
To get there, one just goes through her eyeball, right at her skull, past her gray matter, and then door number 2 to the right! The Day I Got Trapped in My Brain is a pleasantly delightful read, brimming with odd but cool creatures and places that Frankie gets to meet and see.
The problem is, Frankie gets trapped in Thoughtopolis one day. She must uncover a deep secret in order for her to be able to return to the real world. The Day I Got Trapped in My Brain is an Irish children’s book that everyone will love – young and old, Irish or not.
BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE.
Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 60 countries for the past 12 years. I also lived in 4 continents – from the Caribbean, South East Asia, Africa and now in Europe. But despite living in several countries, my love for Ireland remains the same. A country that had been a part of my life since I was 14 because of my love for Irish music and bands. Ireland Travel Guides was born because of this passion and hopefully, in some little ways, this website will be able to help you on your next trip to Ireland.