That's What Leprechauns Do

Written by Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully
Published in 2006

Why we chose this book:
We read a number of stories about leprechauns and St. Patrick for St. Patrick's Day. After we reviewed Too Many Leprechauns, T wanted to do another leprechaun book review. So here it is.

Mom's Review

Three leprechauns get into mischief on their way to the end of a rainbow.

This humorous tale follows three leprechauns as they set out to complete an unnamed important duty. Although they say that they haven't time for mischief, they pause along the way to paint a cow's hooves, knot together the legs of pants hung out to dry, and place a tennis ball under a chicken. They eventually reach the end of the rainbow and put a pot of gold there, which the reader learns is the "more important duty." The good-natured little men are disappointed that no one finds the gold, but are happy to return to their pranks. That's What Leprechauns Do is lighthearted and was easy for T to understand. The pranks are in no way malicious, just silly and fun to read about.

Son's Review
(age 3 years)

Mom: So, what do leprechauns do?

Son: Leprechauns do mischief!

Mom: What would you do if you found a cow with red feet?

Son: I would ride him. I do phone stealing.

Mom: Is that your mischief?

Son: Yes!

Mom: Are you a leprechaun? What do you do that they do?

Son: No. They do mischief and I do mischief. That's funny!

Mom: Which of their tricks was your favorite?

Son: I like where they tied the the pants in a knot.

Mom: What would you do if you could do mischief?

Son: I would steal a phone. I would run away with the phone because I like phones.
(He likes to "find" our phones wherever we've set them down, but he doesn't run away. He usually brings us our phones, tells us that he found them, and asks if we need them. Much more on the sweet side than the mischief side of things.)