GIFT GUIDE: 10 terrific children's books by Irish authors to buy this Christmas

One of my earliest and most loved Christmas presents was a set of four Harry Potter books I received when I was eleven.

I remember opening the set and making a face; I wasn't known for my love of reading despite my parents' best efforts, and because I had a pile of new and colourful toys to play with, I didn't look at the books again until months later when I found myself bored. 

Although I had a false start by beginning with the third book rather than the first, I fell in love with the story and with reading. 

My subsequent obsession and lifelong love of books may not have happened at all (or, to be more realistic, as early) if I hadn't received the first four Harry Potters at Christmas. 

Whether your child likes to read or not, consider buying them one of these terrific books by Irish authors for pre-teens this Christmas; the right story can make all the difference! 

Wider than the Sea by Serena Molloy (9+) 

In this uplifting story about bravery and believing in yourself, main character Ró risks everything in her search for a missing dolphin. 

Blurb: 

Ró finds school impossible. She knows people think she's shy - and stupid. But when she goes to the bay each afternoon to watch the dolphin leap through the water, she finds the strength to keep going. Then the dolphin disappears, and everything starts falling apart.

Can Ró overcome her fears to find him? 

Double Trouble at the Dead Zoo by Alan Nolan (10+)

This clever and funny book is another delightful addition to the Molly Malone and Bram Stoker series. It's perfect for children who like mystery and quirky characters. 

Blurb: 

Molly and Bram's new friend Sanjit has come from India to stay with his professor uncle - but now his uncle has been kidnapped! Can Bram and Molly, with the help of the Sackville Street Spooks, find out where the professor has gone?

Can they follow the clues in an ancient treasure map and defeat the curse of the Dead Zoo? 

In Between Worlds: The Journey of the Famine Girls by Nicola Pierce (10+) 

Inspired by the 1849 crossing of the Thomas Arbuthnot to Australia, In Between Worlds tells the story of two Irish girls whose homes and lives were changed forever by the Famine. 

Blurb: 

Maggie and Sarah are on their way to Australia. Their homes and their lives have been devastated by famine, with death coming to so many. Even when they sought refuge in the workhouse they found horror and heartbreak there.

When the girls are given the chance of a new life on the other side of the world, they know they have to say yes – no matter the price.

On board ship, they are caught in between worlds. How will they find the courage and strength to build new lives in a strange land? 

The Climbing Boys by Ann Murtagh (10+) 

Set in Dublin, this captivating story tells the tale of the lesser known Irish climbing boys, who faced poverty and harsh working conditions sweeping chimneys in the 1800s. 

Blurb: 

When his da gets injured, Hugh ‘Scholar’ O’Dare has to leave school to work as a chimney sweeper. The job is scary and dangerous, but it brings him into the home of the most famous man in Ireland, Daniel O’Connell, who takes an interest in the young boy’s life.

Then Scholar comes across another young sweeper whose circumstances are much worse than his own, and a shocking secret comes to light. Can he help this new friend escape a life of darkness? 

Twin Power: The Lost Cup by Emma Larkin (10+) 

A perfect choice for GAA lovers, The Lost Cup is a brilliant book full of fun and mystery for both boys and girls alike. 

Blurb: 

Mad twins, Aoife and Aidan Power, along with their four best friends, the Droichead Beag gang, are back!

However, all is not rosy. Cracks are starting to show as the gang’s strong foundation creaks under the strain of new friendships with players from their rival club Gorman, along with football injuries and tense must win matches.

With all this tension in the background, Aidan becomes fixated on finding the mysterious Lost Cup which was allegedly hidden 100 years ago during the Irish Civil War. Why will no one talk to him about it? Will a school trip to the GAA museum in Croke Park shed any light on this mystery? How is the lost cup linked to rivalries between Droichead Beag GAA and Gorman GAA?

Can Aoife and Aidan solve this mystery, reunite their gang of friends and return to having fun on the football field? 

The first book, Twin Power: Throw In, is also available to buy now. 

Sally in the City of Dreams by Judi Curtin (10+) 

This beautifully written story about emigration and the Irish experience abroad is sure to thrill all the burgeoning historians in the family. 

Blurb: 

It’s 1911 and young sisters Sally and Bridget are sailing to New York to find work – leaving behind their home and everything they know in Ireland. The city is so big and strange, but the sisters and their new friend Julia are determined to make the most of this exciting new world. They have each other, and if they work hard, New York is full of opportunities.

Then, when a false accusation threatens to destroy everything, the girls realise there’s nothing more important than sticking together. 

The Silver Road by Sinéad O'Hart (9+) 

Named the Irish Times Best Children's Book of 2023, The Silver Road is an unforgettable adventure inspired by Irish folklore. 

Blurb: 

The seandraiocht - the Old Magic - isn't remembered like it once was. Its power is fading... When Rose is entrusted with a powerful stone by a Frost Giant, she is swept into an adventure full of danger.

The stone can be used for great good or great evil, depending on its keeper. It leads Rose to discover the magic that runs through all of Ireland. A magic that is threaded together beneath the land: the Silver Road.

But the Silver Road is under threat.

Now Rose must keep the stone from falling into the wrong hands and embark on a quest to find its rightful owner and keep the magic alive. 

An Táin: The Great Irish Battle Epic by Alan Titley (11+) 

A retelling of Ireland's most important myth, the book draws directly from the source material and tells the thrilling tale of The Táin like you've never heard it before. 

Blurb: 

Queen Maeve's army is marching north to steal the great brown bull, the pride of Ulster. But one man stands in their way. Cúchulainn, the Hound of Ulster, vowed in boyhood to protect his homeland - even if it means taking on an invading army himself. One by one Maeve's warriors challenge the hero, and one by one they fall.

Can Cúchulainn hold out until reinforcements arrive - and how will he fare against the one man in Ireland he doesn't want to fight? 

Fairy Hill by Marita Conlon-McKenna (9+) 

A new story from Ireland's most beloved children's storyteller, Fairy Hill is a gentle, easy read and an excellent entry point for new readers. 

Blurb: 

Strange things are happening in Fairy Hill. Thirteen-year-old Anna is upset when she is sent to stay with her dad and his new family at Fairy Hill in the west of Ireland. Hearing whispers in the wind, Anna senses she is being watched, but nobody believes her except the mysterious boy down by the lake.

When her little half-brother, Jack, nearly gets lost, Anna suspects that someone is trying to steal him away. She wonders if the stories about the old house and the fairies are true. And if they are, could Jack be in real danger?

Daughter of Winter and Twilight by Helen Corcoran (12+) 

A standalone sequel to Queen of Coin and Whispers, Daughter of Winter and Twilight is a gripping read full of banter for fantasy lovers beginning to read Young Adult books. 

Blurb: 

To some, Emri – the adopted heir and daughter of two queens – is a living reminder that her birth father tried to usurp the Edaran throne.

But as she grapples with a diplomatic visit from her estranged cousin, Melisande, the two girls are attacked by a magical force and spirited away. They must put their differences aside when Emri comes face to face with a goddess she’s always considered a myth: Lady Winter.