Best Children's Books About Leprechauns

A leprechaun used to visit us each year when my children were young. When we woke up on Saint Patrick’s Day, there were little green footprints across the kitchen counters, over chairs and windowsills – a trail leading to pots of gold chocolate coins around the house, sometimes with hints of rainbow colors and glitter. A box of Lucky Charms cereal might sit at the kitchen table, something surely never seen there otherwise, and proof indeed of magic.

The leprechaun is one of my favorite faeries in Irish folklore. The name comes from Old Irish luchorpán or leapreachán, meaning “small body”. They’re dapper in their green coats and turned up cocked hats, and they love to outwit the humans who are after them for their gold hidden at the end of the rainbow, or the three wishes they might grant to the person.

Something about such mischievous beings, just their own size, appeals to children. Their tricks aren’t really malicious, as other faeries might be. Leprechauns are solitary creatures, wanting to be left alone to cobble shoes and amass their gold, which prompts the human to seek him out for some gold and some magic wishes. But the leprechaun is wily and is likely to outwit the human one way or another.

Here are some of our favorite stories about leprechauns.

☘️TRICKY TRICKSTERS☘️

Leprechauns Never Lie

Leprechauns Never Lie, by Lorna Balian was published in the 1990s and our copy had illustrations with muted sepia tones. It was recently republished with colorized illustrations. Lazy Ninny-Nanny and ailing Gram lived in an old hut, whose thatch needed patching, firewood needed stacking, water barrel needed filling and potato patch needed digging. A clever old leprechaun leads Ninny Nanny on with stories to find his treasure, while unbeknownst to her, all the work is getting done. This fairy tale should be in every child’s repertoire and is a great bedtime story!

Clever Tom and the Leprechaun: An Old Irish Story

clever tom and the leprechaun children's book

Clever Tom and the Leprechaun: An Old Irish Story, retold by Linda Shute, has a charming Irish lilt to the words and the illustrations. Tim hears a tap tap tapping while he is outside, and sneakily captures the leprechaun he finds. First, the old leprechaun tries to distract him to make him look away, but Tom is too smart for that! So, the leprechaun shows where the gold is buried, is cleverly tricked when Tom goes to find a shovel. The leprechaun is free and keeps his gold, and Tom forever after delights in recounting his story of – almost – finding the gold.

☘️MISCHIEF MAKERS☘️

That’s What Leprechauns Do

In That’s What Leprechauns Do by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, a group of leprechauns set off to hide their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. A rain is coming, and there is no time for mischief. But somehow Mrs. Ballybunion’s cow has her hooves painted red, Old Jamie’s long johns are tied in a knot, and Miss Maude Murphy’s hen seems to have laid a tennis ball! Mischief – that’s what leprechauns do.

☘️KEEPERS OF GOLD☘️

The Leprechaun’s Gold

The Leprechaun’s Gold by Pamela Duncan Edwards, illustrated by Henry Cole, is a fine fairy tale of an old harper who gives his gift of music freely and a young one who seeks only personal gain. As they make their way to the Royal Palace for a harping contest, the leprechaun’s work their magic to give each man what he deserves. These are lovely quiet illustrations that suit the story.

The Story of the Leprechaun

The Story of the Leprechaun by Katherine Tegan, with Sally Ann Lambert’s colorful illustrations is the story of a leprechaun, a shoemaker who is caught by Tim, a human who wants his pot of gold. The leprechaun obediently points out the burial spot and Tim marks the spot with a stick and a shoe. After Tim marks the spot with a stick and a shoe, she goes home to fetch a shovel, but when he returns, he finds hundreds of sticks and shoes! The leprechaun has outsmarted Tim, and relocates his pot of gold to the end of a rainbow where it can’t be found.

☘️SAINT PATRICK’S DAY FUN☘️

Jack and the Leprechaun

Jack and the Leprechaun, by Ivan Robertson, illustrated by Katie Bratun tells the tale of Jack Mouse on a visit to Ireland to visit his cousins for Saint Patrick’s Day. This is a fun description of Irish traditions and language accompanied by the inevitable leprechaun sightings and a grand ceili with dancing, music, food and drink. The finale is a pot of “gold” -cheese for Jack Mouse!

Ten Lucky Leprechauns

Ten Lucky Leprechauns by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook, and illustrated by Jay Johnson, is a rhyming counting book with lots of colorful pictures and engaging repetition (“Fiddle-de-fizz, ‘tis magic it is”) that younger children will beg for again and again.

When I was a child in the olden days, Saint Patrick’s Day was little more than a day to wear something green lest you get a pinch at school. I’m pleased that there are plenty of ways to celebrate the fun this March holiday and the leprechauns that add some fun and mischief. For more leprechaun fun, you might like Saint Patrick’s Day Children’s Books. Thanks for reading!

Best Children’s Books About Leprechauns