If your little one has an interest in Irish history, these books are a fantastic way to encourage them.
Since children have been at home full time, it has been hard for parents to deal with the pressure to homeschool and fill this gap. This can feel particularly disheartening if your child has shown an interest in their topics at school.
It's so important to remember that there is a reason that school teachers are trained to do what they do and there should be no pressure on parents to homeschool on top of working, looking after the house, as well as everything else on their to-do list. If your looking for some fun, educational books, these stories that explore Irish culture and history may just pique your little one's interest.
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Here are six of our favourites.
DARE TO DREAM: IRISH PEOPLE WHO TOOK ON THE WORLD (AND WON!) written by SARAH WEBB and illustrated by GRAHAM CORCORAN
This is a beautiful, inspiring book about Irish people and the impact that they've made internationally. It is filled with both famous and lesser-known stories from Irish history and will be sure to inspire young minds everywhere.
BLAZING A TRAIL: IRISH WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD written by SARAH WEBB illustrated by LAUREN O'NEILL
Written by the same author as Dare to Dream, this non-fiction book follows a similar premise to the previous one in that it tells the stories of how Irish people changed the world, except this time the focus is on Irish women. This is another fantastic and super inspiring read from Sarah Webb.
BE AN IRISH EXPLORER: AN ART JOURNAL AROUND IRELAND by BEX SHELFORD
Seeing as getting out and exploring the world around you isn't exactly possible right now, this could be the perfect book for a child with an adventurous spirit and interest in history and culture. From the Giant's Causeway to the history of St. Patrick to each county's GAA team colours, this book has everything a curious mind might need.
BRIAN BORU: THE WARRIOR KING by JOHN AND FATTI BURKE
This charming book condenses the life of Brian Boru into an easy-to-understand picture book, allowing children to explore the life of one of Ireland's most famous kings without getting overwhelmed with information. The backmatter also contains even more interesting facts about Brian Boru as well as a timeline of events in his life.
THE SALMON OF KNOWLEDGE by CELINA BUCKLEY
We love this one. This book is a beautifully illustrated retelling of the well known Irish legend. The story goes that a salmon ate nine hazelnuts from a well of ancient wisdom and thus acquired all the knowledge in the world. Many tried and failed to catch the fish until an old poet, Finnegas managed to do it. He instructed his young apprentice Fionn mac Cumhaill to prepare it for him, however, an accidental taste leads to serious consequences.
SPIES by BRIAN GALLAGHER
This is a great one for slightly older readers who have a keen interest in the Irish War of Independence. It tells the story of an orphan, Johnny Dunne, who fled Balbriggan where he spied for the rebels in Ireland’s War of Independence. Now he is given an even more dangerous mission from rebel leader Michael Collins.
Family Friendly HQ are delighted to bring you this content in partnership with Children's Books Ireland. Children's Books Ireland works with families, teachers, libraries, publishers and communities all across the island to get books into children's hands. They believe that every child should have access to the joy of reading, regardless of their circumstances. Check out childrensbooksireland.ie for more information, reading suggestions and helpful resources.
