St Patrick’s Day books for older children (9+)

This stunningly illustrated collection of stories has its roots in oral storytelling and features giants, demons and wicked stepmothers, with a good dose of magic, cruelty and gentle humour.

Genuinely bizarre and ridiculously funny, this is one of the maddest books of the year.

When lonely kid Adam meets an AI on the internet that promises to make him a famous YouTuber, all his dreams start to come true! But there are some things that money can’t buy, and as Adam’s popularity skyrockets out of control he must remember what’s truly important…

Twelve-year-old criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl hatches an ingenious plot to steal all the gold in fairy land.

Dealing with contemporary concerns such as climate change, yet steeped in ancient Irish myth, history and folklore, this thrilling fantasy crackles and fizzes like the magic within its pages. 

When Max answers the call to join Captain O’Malley’s pirate ship instead of his brother, who’s ill, it’s the start of a rip-roaring fantastical adventure. A page-turner that will have children gripped and moved.  

Rex is not the sort of person to rob a bank… until he’s sent to stay with his Uncle Derm for the summer! Expect high jinks, close calls and lots of silliness in this delightful heist adventure.

This gripping mystery will keep readers guessing to the end and asks some difficult questions about right and wrong and how sometimes they can both look the same.

In the little town of Blackbird Tree, friends and fellow orphans Naomi and Lizzie are startled when a strange boy, Finn, falls out of a tree.

Fionn and his sister Tara are spending their summer on the remote island of Arranmore, off the coast of Ireland, staying with their grandfather. Readers will be swept away by the setting, atmosphere and magic of Arranmore as Fionn discovers its history and secrets. 

This is a beautifully written coming-of-age tale, which deals with themes of mortality, peace and sacrifice.

Oscar’s apple tarts bring hope to the sad or desperate. He is loved and appreciated for this special gift. Meg is his best friend, but just as their friendship is about to blossom into love she has to go to New Zealand for sixth months.

When her mum dies in the 1918 flu epidemic, 15-year-old Stella returns to Northern Ireland to live with an aunt she has never met. The war has ended and women (over the age of 30 with property) are about to vote for the first time. Fascinating and inspiring. 

Loosely based on the real life case of the Kerry babies, powerful imagery and lyrical prose is woven throughout this unforgettable, outstanding and ultimately hopeful novel.