Sparking a love of stories for Mayo readers

“Our children need to see themselves in books, whether they trace their lineage back to Fionn Mac Cumhaill or have only recently arrived on our shores.”

That’s according to Laureate na nÓg Patricia Forde, who launched Children’s Books Ireland’s newest reading guide celebrating Irish children’s books at a special event on Culture Night.

Curated by Children’s Books Ireland, Recommended Irish Reads 2024 spotlights authors, illustrators and publishers from or based in Ireland and features 200 titles in Irish and English.

The guide includes titles for readers aged up to 18 years, including the latest books by authors such as Maggie O’Farrell, Manchán Magan and Sarah Webb. Also featured are debut titles such as ‘Who Watches This Place’ by Amy Clarkin and ‘Into the Witchwood’ by Méabh McDonnell.

Speaking about the guide, Patricia said: “This reading guide is an essential resource for parents and/or carers, educators, librarians and booksellers in Mayo, and of course our young readers themselves! And it will definitely come in handy for anyone starting to think about gift-buying for young readers in the coming months.”

The Laureate na nÓg continued: “Why does it matter that the writers and illustrators featured call Ireland home? Because our children need to see stories that reflect their identities and surroundings from artists who understand and can relate to their lived experiences.

“Children in Mayo need role models to pave pathways that will help them to realise their dreams. We see it in sport, we see it in theatre and film, and we need to see it in the realm of children’s books.”

The Recommended Irish Reads 2024 guide is available to download from the Children’s Books Ireland website. With 25,000 copies distributed across the country, it will be widely available free of charge through local libraries and participating bookshops in Mayo.