How to Trap a Leprechaun
by Sue Fliess
illustrated by Emma Randall
Date: 2017
Publisher: Sky Pony
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library
Legend has it that if you catch a leprechaun, he’ll grant you a wish. But, be careful! Leprechauns are full of trickery. To catch one, you’ll need to be clever in crafting your trap. Grab some glitter and glue and get prepared for your wily holiday visitors!
On the night before St. Patrick’s Day, leprechauns show up to steal your treasures and then disappear as quickly as they came. However, if you’re careful you might be able to catch one and then he’ll grant you a wish. You’ll have to be sneaky and set just the right trap to trap a leprechaun.
Sue Fliess’s read-aloud text and Emma Randall’s whimsical illustrations will provide much fun for young readers eager to catch their very own leprechaun! But beware: leprechauns may leave you with nothing but a cardboard box and a shoe or two.
(synopsis from Goodreads)
This is the only St. Patrick's Day-themed e-book at our local library that I could find. I was hoping for a little more substance. As it is, this book assumes the reader will have some previous knowledge of leprechaun lore. (The note at the end suggests teaching kids a bit about Irish folklore ahead of time, which is probably a good idea. I just wish this book had done that!)
Rhyming text is set off by cute and colourful pictures depicting a group of children trying to catch a leprechaun. This may be my main issue with the book. I understand the myth, but I'm just not sure if I'm comfortable with teaching children to essentially kidnap little magical men for their own greed. If that doesn't bother you, though, you might enjoy this story that shows the kids building a creative trap to try to catch a leprechaun the night before St. Patrick's Day. They paint some rocks to look like gold, throw some glitter on a box, and build a rainbow slide.
The illustrations are nice, with an almost retro look to them. There's a nice amount of diversity represented as well. And of course there has to be a little redheaded girl! This is a book about an Irish myth, after all.
I would recommend this one with a couple of caveats. You might need to explain a little bit more about Irish myths and folklore if you want kids to understand the whole leprechaun thing. And perhaps a discussion about greed and forcible confinement is in order, too; we shouldn't be teaching kids they can hold people captive simply because they want something.
Quotable moment:
Premise: 3/5
Meter: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
Enjoyment: 3/5
Overall: 3.57 out of 5
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