5 Brilliant Irish Books To Read With Your Children

Looking for a new book to read with your little one? The shortlist for the?Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards has been announced and will provide you with ample reading choices this long weekend.?

?The shortlist for the 27^th CBI Book of the Year Awards was revealed this week, which means ten brilliant Irish children’s Irish books will compete for the awards, voted for by young readers across the country. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 23^rd May at Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre. In the meantime, we suggest our five picks from the shortlisted titles, which will make perfect reading material for you and your children:

Anna Liza and the Happy Practice written by Eoin Colfer

The story of Anna Liza who likes to help cheer up her mother’s patients with her top 17 knock-knock jokes. Things change when she meets Edward; his dad is sad all the time, so Anna comes up with a plan to?help, but it isn’t easy with her mum watching her every move…

Billy Button, Telegram Boy, illustrated by Sheena Dempsey

Set at a time before mobile phones and email, this enticing beautifully illustrated historical chapter book chronicles the adventures of Billy Button, a telegram boy who finds himself involved in more than delivering messages when grumpy Mr Grundle receives an unexpected message from an old sweetheart.

Historopedia by Fatti Burke and John Burke

Aspiring time travellers of all ages will be engrossed and delighted by this absorbing chronicle of Ireland’s history and mythic past across the eras to the present day, assembled?by this ferociously talented father and daughter team. It’s a book sure to delight young and older minds alike with its gorgeous illustrations and historical fact.

Plain Jane by Kim Hood

Jane’s little sister Emma has cancer and for the last three years has occupied all their parents? attention. Jane loves her sister but still can’t help resenting her parents for not noticing the impact that Emma’s illness is having on her. Hood’s novel sensitively explores what it is like to struggle with a mental illness and the turbulence of young adulthood.

The Call by Peadar – Guil?n

Cut off from the rest of the world by carnivorous S’dhe, Irish children over the age of ten wait in fear to be abducted and hunted by these vicious faery folk. ?? Gul?n has created an engrossing young adult novel exploring the price of survival.