Books for younger children

The Henny Penny Tree

A tale of three little girls, their forgetful Uncle Fergus, a gold coin, a silver shilling and a penny that gets buried and grows into a tree of coins.

O’Brien Press 2010

Animals Don’t Have Ghosts

Sinéad and Dara, Michelle’s country cousins, come up to ‘the big smoke’ to visit Michelle and her mum. A witty and engaging account of a visit to the weird and wonderful city of Dublin, where Sinéad and Dara struggle to understand the curious local customs and Michelle delights in showing off her cosmopolitan ways!

O’Brien Press 2002

Cows are Vegetarians

Sinéad, Michelle’s country cousin, is such a Miss Knowall. Even if vegetarians don’t eat meat, that cow still has terrible big teeth. Michelle is a city girl and when she visits the country she finds wild animals in the garden, lambs in the kitchen, muck everywhere and no shops, clubs or streetlights. But somehow life on the farm is not boring after all.

O’Brien Press 2001

All Shining in the Spring:
The story of a baby who died

When six-year-old Matthew and his parents discover that the baby they are looking forward to welcoming into the family is not going to live, they are devastated. A touching story of grief and consolation.

O’Brien Press 1995

The Leprechaun who Wished he Wasn’t

Laurence is a leprechaun who has been small for 1100 years and is sick of it! He wants to be TALL. Then he meets Phoebe, who would just like to be smaller. When she invites him to live in her house, Laurence is delighted. He starts wearing jeans and denim jackets and gets rid of the pointy hat. But there is one thing about leprechauns — they are always up to mischief. And when Laurence decides on a new career, that’s when the fun really starts!