The St. Patrick's Day Shillelagh

By Janet Nolan and Ben Stahl

In the time of the Irish potato famine, Fergus and his family left for America. But first Fergus cut a branch from a blackthorn tree so that he could take a piece of Ireland with him. On the journey, he whittled the branch into a shillelagh. Each St. Patrick’s Day, Fergus told his story of coming to America and of the shillelagh that he brought with him. Throughout the years, one generation after another passed the shillelagh on along with Fergus’s story, adding their own life experiences. On this St. Patrick’s Day, Kayleigh finds the shillelagh and listens to her grandfather share their history. He then places the shillelagh in Kayleigh’s hands, making her the keeper of the family story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Albert Whitman Company
• Release date: May 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781497644236

Janet Nolan

Janet Nolan is the award-winning author of numerous fiction and nonfiction picture books. Janet lives in Oak Park, Illinois. She has a B.A. from The Evergreen State College and a master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).  

Reviews for The St. Patrick's Day Shillelagh

[Jeannie Meekins · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A simple message about remembering your own family's history.
We enjoyed it.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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!

[thornton37814 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.