Nice story about a walking stick/shillelagh that is passed with an oral tradition from generation to generation in an Irish family from the Potato Famine in the 19th century to the present.
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When the terrible blight destroys the potato crop upon which they depend, and hunger becomes a constant companion, Fergus and his family must leave their native Ireland for America. Determined to take a piece of his home with him, Fergus cuts a branch from his favorite blackthorn tree, whittling it into a shillelagh - a traditional Irish walking stick, and/or club - on the sea voyage over.

Working hard to make a new life, Fergus never forgets the land of his birth, or the terrible suffering of the Famine, eventually passing his shillelagh, and his stories, on to his son, Declan. Railway workers and bridge-builders, soldiers and singers, down through the generations, Fergus' descendants weave themselves into the fabric of American life, but they never forget the land from which their ancestors came...

A lovely picture-book exploration of the immigrant experience, and the multi-generational saga of one Irish-American family, The St. Patrick's Day Shillelagh is a tribute to the power of stories to shape our sense of self, and a reminder of the importance of remembering our familial and ethnic/national history. I found myself tearing up, as I read it. With a simple but engaging narrative, and beautiful acrylic illustrations, this is one title I recommend for reading at any time of the year! ( )

Title: The St. Patrick’s Day Shillelagh
Author: Janet Nolan (Illustrated by Ben f. Stahl)
Genre: Children’s
Challenges: 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, PB & J Challenge, Read and Review Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 Reading Challenge, Pages Read 2010,



Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 28
Published: 2002


Back Cover: In Ireland, the potatoes are rotting and people are starving, so Fergus and his parents must leave their beloved homeland. On the night before they sail, Fergus cuts a branch from his favorite blackthorn tree. On board the ship to America, he carves the branch into a fine shillelagh.

In America, Fergus works hard and starts his own family. Every year on St. Patrick’s day, he tells the story of the shillelagh. When his son Emmet grows to be a man, Fergus passes the shillelagh --- and the honor of the telling its story – on him.

Generation after generation, through happy times and sad, this Irish-American family passes on the gift of its story. And now, at last, it is Kayleigh’s turn to received the shillelagh.
Mine: This is a wonderful generational story about family traditions. The main object is to make sure that each generation understands – in this story it almost missed and generation and was lost forever. This is a story about what family’s history and how they immigrated to America.
What a wonderful story for St. Patrick’s Day
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A young boy's family is escaping famine by moving from Ireland to America. On his journey he carves a shillelagh from his favorite tree. From then on, the shillelagh is passed down from generation to generation, and the story is told every year on St. Patrick's Day.

The Irish potato famine forces Fergus' family to immigrate to the United States. Before leaving the old country, Fergus carves a shillelagh which becomes the family's reminder of their family's history through several generations. This is a great book to remind families that their story needs to be heard. ( )