Overview
It is March 17 and you may see green decorations everywhere. But do you know why? It's St. Patrick's Day, of course!Synopsis
It is March 17 and you may see green decorations everywhere. But do you know why? It's St. Patrick's Day, of course!
Sharon Salluzzo - Children's Literature
Several interesting facts can be gleaned from this book: the first American St. Patrick's Day celebration was held in Boston in 1737; "St. Patrick" was the secret password used by General George Washington on March 17, 1776; and St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Well organized, it includes historical information about St. Patrick, the Irish in America, and symbols such as the shamrock, the harp and shillelagh. Color photos add additional information, not all of it accurate. Under the picture on page five, the caption states that "the girl in the middle of the picture is wearing a shamrock on her pin." Actually, it is a four-leaf clover. Later in the book there is a whole chapter about the shamrock and its description states, it "is a small green plant with three leaves." In addition, the author says that "each leaf stood for a part of the Christian religion." This is a misleading description. In the presentation on the Irish in America, Gillis states that the American colonists welcomed people from Ireland. In the next chapter, she says that in the 1800s the Irish were treated cruelly in America. No explanation is provided about what caused the change. Includes a glossary, lists three books in the "More Books to Read" section, an index and a table of important dates. Part of the "Holiday Histories" series from Heinemann first Library. 2003, Heinemann Library, Ages 6 to 9.
Editorials
Children's Literature
Several interesting facts can be gleaned from this book: the first American St. Patrick's Day celebration was held in Boston in 1737; "St. Patrick" was the secret password used by General George Washington on March 17, 1776; and St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. Well organized, it includes historical information about St. Patrick, the Irish in America, and symbols such as the shamrock, the harp and shillelagh. Color photos add additional information, not all of it accurate. Under the picture on page five, the caption states that "the girl in the middle of the picture is wearing a shamrock on her pin." Actually, it is a four-leaf clover. Later in the book there is a whole chapter about the shamrock and its description states, it "is a small green plant with three leaves." In addition, the author says that "each leaf stood for a part of the Christian religion." This is a misleading description. In the presentation on the Irish in America, Gillis states that the American colonists welcomed people from Ireland. In the next chapter, she says that in the 1800s the Irish were treated cruelly in America. No explanation is provided about what caused the change. Includes a glossary, lists three books in the "More Books to Read" section, an index and a table of important dates. Part of the "Holiday Histories" series from Heinemann first Library. 2003, Heinemann Library, Ages 6 to 9.—Sharon Salluzzo