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17 St. Patrick’s Day Stories for Preschoolers

March 2, 2022March 16, 2022 Jennifer

We love to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in our house. We all get dressed in green and my son makes a leprechaun trap and lots of great crafts! We haven’t caught a leprechaun yet, but they have left some gold chocolate coins and a mess around our house! For years I struggled to find St. Patrick’s Day stories for preschoolers and I am so happy that there are so many options now! Here is a list of books that will engage and delight preschoolers (and their older siblings too). There’s 17 book recommendations so you can read one everyday in March through St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th.

St. Patrick’s Day Stories

1. How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace–

My son really likes this book! It inspired him to make a leprechaun trap of his own. In this book, a leprechaun visits several kid’s houses. The kids have their traps ready. Will one of them catch the leprechaun this year? Get ready for some shenanigans as the leprechaun defeats the traps and escapes. Chaos ensues as some of the traps go haywire. A silly, rhyming book that is sure to capture your child’s imagination.

2. Hooray for St. Patrick’s Day by Joan Holub–

This is a fun rhyming story with flaps for preschoolers to lift. The book is not very long, but gives preschoolers a good overall picture of the holiday. It talks briefly about shamrocks, St. Patrick, how Americans celebrate the holiday by wearing green and eating green foods, and looking for a pot of gold. It’s a cute book and my son loves pointing out that both the dog and the goldfish are wearing green 🙂 Carefully look on each page for a hidden leprechaun!

3. The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day by Natasha Wing —

Told in a rhyming style similar to the famous The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore, this book tells the readers about the night before St. Patrick’s Day. The two kids, Tim and Maureen, are excited for St. Patrick’s Day to arrive because they want to catch a leprechaun. They set an elaborate trap and while they are waiting, they eat green foods and indulge in some holiday fun. They hear a commotion and find that they actually caught a leprechaun! Will he tell them where he buried his gold? Read this one and find out!

4. Green Shamrocks by Eve Bunting–

St. Patrick’s Day is approaching and Rabbit wants to wear shamrocks to the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Rabbit carefully grows shamrocks, making sure that the little plants everything they need. A strong wind blows the pot of shamrocks to Goat’s house. Oh no. Is Goat going to eat them? Nope, Goat is busy eating a rubber ball and an old tin can! Phew, the shamrocks are safe. Rabbit makes a shamrock chain and Goat wears the pot on his head and they head to enjoy the parade with their animal friends. Make this shamrock friend craft to go along with this story 🙂

5. Lucky Tucker by Leslie McGuirk–

It’s March 17th and Tucker, a cute dog, is having a bad day. In an effort to turn his luck around, Tucker rolls in a bed of four leaf clovers. A leprechaun spies him rolling around and tells Tucker that those are the leprechaun’s special lucky clovers. Now Tucker has the luck of the Irish and everything starts going his way! Tucker’s St. Patrick’s Day ends with a box full of new toys—what a lucky dog.

The Gingerbread man and the Leprechaun Loose at School

6. Gingerbread Man and the Leprechaun Loose at School by Diane Murray–

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and a leprechaun is causing trouble all over the school! It’s up to the Gingerbread Man to stop the leprechaun’s shenanigans. The Gingerbread Man builds a leprechaun trap in the classroom and catches him! Now that the leprechaun is caught, he promises to clean up his mess and not cause any more trouble, at least not until next St. Patrick’s Day. This book is a silly, rhyming good time! You and your kiddo will be cracking up through this story 🙂

7. Disney Junior (Mickey Mouse Club House) Top O’ The Clubhouse —

Get ready to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Mickey Mouse and friends at the Clubhouse. They’ve got it all decorated in green and ready for a party. Oh no, Pete is causing some trouble! Will the party be ruined? Join Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto in this holiday adventure to find out!

8. That’s What Leprechauns Do by Eve Bunting–

I love this book! It was one of my favorites! Three little leprechauns have to bury the gold treasure at the end of the rainbow. They set out to find the end of the rainbow and along the way get into all sorts of mischief because that’s what leprechauns do! This book is lots of fun and will leave you giggling at the leprechauns’ shenanigans. Make an edible cereal rainbow to go along with this book!

9. Pete the Cat: The Great Leprechaun Chase by James Dean–

Pete the Cat starts his own leprechaun-catching business and his friends hire him to capture some luck for them. Clover, the leprechaun, is pretty fast and Pete isn’t having any luck catching him. Pete’s friends are depending on him for help! Finally, Pete catches Clover, only to learn that you don’t need to find luck, you can create your own.

10. Ten Lucky Leprechauns by Kathryn Heling–

This is a cute counting story featuring 10 adorable leprechauns! Preschoolers can count and giggle along with this rhyming story. We loved “revvin’ seven” on a motorbike! Kids will like the cute, bright illustrations and the happy smiles on the leprechauns. Make a leprechaun paper bag puppet to go along with this book.

11. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover by Lucille Colandro–

The old lady is back in another holiday book! This time she is swallowing symbols of St. Patrick’s Day such as a clover, gold coins, and a giant pot. What is she up to? At the end of the story, out of her mouth pops a rainbow and all of the St. Patrick’s Day decorations and symbols. Preschoolers will giggle at this silly lady and yell “You can’t eat that!”

12. The Littlest Leprechaun by Brandi Dougherty–

Brandi Dougherty writes a cute “Littlest” series all about how even the youngest of us can help in a big way. In this St. Patrick’s Day book, Liam the leprechaun wants to help his family with their leprechaun duties. He tries helping the adults around him, but he is too little for those jobs. But when a baby unicorn is stuck, Liam is the perfect one to help free it! Filled with adorable pictures and a sweet message, you and your preschooler will enjoy reading this book together.

13. It’s St. Patrick’s Day! by Rebecca Gomez–

In this short story, preschoolers are introduced to St. Patrick’s Day through rhyming text and cute illustrations. The kids in the story wear green, decorate, eat Irish stew, listen to bagpipes, and participate in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. This book give a nice overview of the holiday celebrations at an easy-to-understand level for preschoolers. Pair this with Sesame Street’s Murray visits an Irish Dancing School short video.

14. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Curious George by Cynthia Platt —

Margaret and H.A. Rey’s monkey stars in this fun board book all about St. Patrick’s Day. George provides a nice overview of the holiday celebrations by dressing in green, learning some Irish dances, eating yummy traditional foods, and searching for leprechauns. We know George is a good little monkey, but he always finds trouble. With the parade coming, will George be able to stay out of trouble? Check this one out from your library to find out 🙂

15. Pout Pout Fish: Lucky Leprechaun by Wes Adams–

St. Patrick’s Day is so much fun to celebrate that even the ocean creatures get in on the fun! In this story, Mr. Fish dons a green hat and beard to deliver holiday cheer to his friends, but he needs a pot of gold. After lots of searching, Mr. Fish finds a school of small gold-colored fish to pretend to be the gold for his pot and his costume is complete!

16. You’re My Lucky Charm by Natalie Marshall —

This book is a lovely message from a parent to child about how lucky the parent is to have the child in their life. This board book has cut-outs and chunky pieces to feel throughout the pages. It is filled with St. Patrick’s Day images like leprechauns, pots of gold, and rainbows. This sweet rhyming, short story is great for bedtime cuddles.

17. The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever by Teddy Slater–

This is a rhyming, whimsical story of a leprechaun family celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Filled with St. Patrick’s Day symbols and lots of green, the leprechauns enjoy a fun parade before heading home for a delicious dinner. The extended family and friends keep arriving and the house is crammed full of leprechauns and they just can’t fit one more. Instead of complaining that the it’s cramped inside, the leprechauns realize that this is the luckiest St. Patrick’s Day ever because they are all together!

We hope you enjoy these St. Patrick’s Day stories as much as we do! Please check your library for these and other great books. I’ve included links to purchase these titles on Amazon. To help cover the costs of this site, I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program. If you buy a book through one of my links, then I get a small percentage of the sale (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support! Happy Reading 🙂

More St. Patrick’s Day Fun!

Leprechaun Hat Maze: https://imaginationsrunningwild.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/St.-Patricks-Day-Hat-Maze.pdf

St. Patrick’s Day I Spy: https://imaginationsrunningwild.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/St.-Patricks-Day-I-Spy.pdf

Leprechaun Follow the Lines: https://imaginationsrunningwild.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Leprachaun-Line-Following.pdf

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Letter Tracing: https://imaginationsrunningwild.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/St.-Particks-Day-Letter-Tracing.pdf

Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day Books for Preschoolers-

January 31, 2022January 30, 2022 Jennifer

We make a big deal out of holidays at our house and Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays! It’s a day to show others how much they mean to you. Plus, there is chocolate! Since Valentine’s Day falls on February 14th, I have gathered up 14 of my family’s favorite Valentine’s Day books to read with your little loves!

VALENTINE’S DAY BOOKS:

1. Little Blue Truck’s Valentine by Alice Schertle–

Little Blue Truck’s stories are always so sweet! In this story, Blue makes and delivers Valentine’s to all his friends. Each card is perfect for each animal friend, as the thoughtful little truck made each one special. In turn, Blue’s friends make a fantastic Valentine for their favorite little truck! Preschoolers will love the shiny hearts and the bright pictures in this rhyming story. Be prepared for little ones to want to make some Valentines after reading this one!

Valentine's Day Books -- Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse!

2. Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse by Laura Numeroff–

Mouse from If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is back in this Valentine’s Day story! Mouse makes Valentines for all of his friends. He puts a lot of thought into each one, making sure that it represents what he loves most about each friend. I love that Mouse is highlighting the good in everyone!

Valentine's Day Books -- Pete the Cat; Valentine's Day is Cool

3. Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day is Cool by James Dean–

Preschoolers love Pete the Cat! He’s a sing-songy, fun-loving cat who learns that Valentine’s Day is day to show your family and friends how much they mean to you! Pete and his friend Callie make cards for everyone (including the librarian!) and enjoy spreading love around. Callie invites Pete to a Valentine’s Day party at her house and he is excited to go until he realizes that he forgot to make a card for his best friend! Oh no! Not to worry, Callie is a true friend and tells Pete that cards aren’t what a makes a good friends, actions are. Pete has always shown that he is a good friend to Callie and that’s all she needs.

4. The Night Before Valentine’s Day by Natasha Wing–

Natasha Wing does a great job writing holiday for preschoolers! Each book is written in rhyme and highlights the fun each holiday brings. In this Valentine’s book, this kids make cards to give their friends at school. They take their cards to school and find their classroom decorated for the holiday. The kids have a fun day getting their faces painted, handing out their cards, and enjoying yummy treats. Then when they think it can’t get any more fun, their principal dressed as Cupid appears in their class to add to all of the joy!

Valentine's Day Books -- Happy Valentine's Day, Curious George

5. Happy Valentine’s Day, Curious George by N. DiAngelo–

This is a fun lift-the-flap book that will keep preschoolers engaged in the story. George and his friend, the man in the yellow hat, invite a bunch of kids over to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We know what a curious monkey George is and how he always seems to get into trouble! But what trouble could he get into making Valentines?

6. The Littlest Valentine by Brandi Dougherty —

In this sweet story, young Emma wants to help her family, the Valentines, with their gift shop business. Not only is Valentine’s Day Emma’s favorite holiday, but it is a super busy one for her family. She tries blowing up heart shaped balloons to decorate the shop, making cards, and making chocolates, but finds that she is too little to help. It seems that no one needs her help around the shop, but then she discovers a lost puppy. Emma bathes the pup and ties a cute bow around its neck. Then she and grandma and grandpa make special Valentine dog biscuits. Emma and her new pup set up a stand to sell dog treats, and the treats are a hit! Even though she is little, Emma found that she can help too 🙂

Valentine's Day Books -- A Unicorn Named Sparkle and the Perfect Valentine

7. A Unicorn Named Sparkle and the Perfect Valentine by Amy Young–

We love Sparkle and Lucy stories! These books are the perfect mix of funny and sweet. In this story, Lucy makes Valentines for those she cares about, but tells Sparkle not worry because no expects a valentine from a unicorn. Sparkle wants to make Lucy a Valentine to show how much he loves her, but it’s kind of hard to do when you have hooves instead of hands! Sparkle is determined and finds a way to make a Valentine. He is so excited about his Valentine until he sees all of the ones the kids made. Sparkle learns that it isn’t what your Valentine looks like that counts, but how someone feels that really matters.

8. Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch by Eileen Spinelli–

This book is a little on the long side, but it is a very sweet story. Mr. Hatch, a lonely and grumpy man, mistakenly gets a Valentine that was meant for someone else. Mr. Hatch thinks it is for him and his whole outlook changes when he believes that someone cares about him. He pays the love forward by helping others. When it is discovered that the Valentine was actually meant for someone else, Mr. Hatch gets really sad, thinking no one likes him. The town comes together to show Mr. Hatch that is loved! It just goes to show how a little kindness can really make someone feel great.

Valentine's Day Books -- Biscuit's Valentine's Day

9. Biscuit’s Valentine’s Day by Alyssa Satin Capucilli–

In this short story, a little girl and her puppy, Biscuit, are out delivering their homemade Valentines to friends and family. Human friends and dog friends are happy to get Valentines! When Biscuit and the little girl visit Grandparents, Biscuit just can’t resist the yummy treats. Oh Biscuit, what a silly puppy! Unfold the pages for fun surprises throughout the book 🙂

10. Clifford’s First Valentine’s Day by Norman Bridwell–

This puppy Clifford book is adorable. Clifford and Emily Elizabeth make Valentines together, with Clifford helping in his own special way. They take the Valentines to the post office to mail, but poor Clifford gets lost down the mail chute! Everyone begins sifting through the huge carts of letters for the lost pup. Suddenly the mail barks — it’s Clifford! Yay, he’s rescued! Emily Elizabeth is so happy to have her Valentine, Clifford, back safe.

11. Happy Valentine’s Day, Little Critter by Mercer Mayer–

My son is huge Little Critter fan! I think little kids can relate to Little Critter who always tries his hardest, but still messes up sometimes. It’s all part of the learning process that kids go through, but it is great that they can see it mirrored in these stories. In this Valentine’s Day book, Little Critter’s class is celebrating Valentine’s Day. They decorate the classroom and make V alentines. It is the best day! Little Critter makes a special card for his special Valentine. Who could it be? It’s his mommy 🙂

12. Click Clack Moo, I Love You by Doreen Cronin–

Little Duck is excited for Valentine’s Day. She makes valentines for everyone, hangs decorations, and gets the barn ready for the Valentine’s Day party! All of the farm animals (except the cows, who were going to a ball) come to the party. Duck is the DJ and the barn is filled with music, dancing, food, and fun! A young fox hears the noise and follows the decorations to the barn. Curious about the party, the fox goes inside. Suddenly the music and dancing stop. Yikes, there’s a fox! Little Duck gives the fox her last valentine and the fox is excited to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The fun starts up again and everyone dances until the cows come home. Filled with sparkly pages, cute illustrations, and lots of animals sounds, this book with be a hit with preschoolers!

13. There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rose by Lucille Coladro–

The silly old lady is back in another holiday story. This time she is eating a rose, lace, glitter, candy, a jewel, hearts, and a Valentine’s Day card! Why did she swallow all of this stuff??? Well it brought her so much happiness that she smiled and blew a big kiss, and then everything flew out of her mouth. Happy Valentine’s Day from the Old Lady.

14. Minnie’s Valentine by Sheela Sweeney Higgson–

Preschoolers’ favorites Mickey and Minnie are here with a Valentine’s Day book! Mickey needs to come up with a Valentine’s gift for Minnie, but what should he get her? Mysterious Miss M. shows up at the Club House to help Mickey come up with the perfect gift! Help Mickey select the right tools from Toodles to make Minnie’s gift.

I hope you enjoy these Valentine’s Day books! My son and I found them at our library. I hope your library also carries them; ask your librarian for suggestions for other Valentine’s Day books too. I joined Amazon’s Affiliate program to try and help cover the costs of this site. If you buy something through one of my links on Amazon, then sometimes I get a small percentage of the sale (no extra cost to you). Thank you for your support! Happy reading 🙂

Valentine’s Day Crafts:

Lacing Heart: lace some yarn around your heart craft and add some stickers to really customize this craft.

Heart Dog Craft: print off the template, color the hearts, and assemble them to form a dog.

Wooly Sheep: Say “I Wooly Love You” with this cute pom-pom sheep craft!

Fingerprint Heart Craft: make a heart shape design with your little one’s fingerprints and a paper heart stencil.