I'm new to the Wild Geese flock so I thought I'd post about a few things. But the spirit of St. Patrick carries through all of them. 

The Wolf and the Shield: An Adventure with Saint Patrick

For those of you who know children ages 8-12, you might be interested in my book, The Wolf and the Shield: An Adventure with Saint Patrick, published on New Year's Day by Pauline Books and Media. 

In the story, a boy in 5^th century Ireland tries to care for an orphaned wolf pup while searching for a shield that's strong enough to protect everything -- and everyone -- he loves. Guided by St. Patrick, he finds the real answer to the question, “What does your heart hunt for?” It is the first book in the Friends with the Saints line aimed at ages 8-12, centering on typical, historical children, the same age as the reader, stepping out on exciting adventures guided by saints. 

Brian McKee, an educator in Belfast, comments: "It reads at a good pace and the imagery is truly evocative and captures the Celtic atmosphere in a powerful manner. There is an eerie, haunting feeling to the story and this invites the young reader to step into a world of mystery and intrigue."

St. Patrick's Day Activities

But it hasn't been enough for us simply to read about St. Patrick in our family. We've been doing some fun craft and food activities, especially related to shamrocks. Check out my activity page to:

* Create a shamrock prayer.
* Find St. Patrick symbols in a word search.
* Hike for redwood sorrel "shamrocks."
* Turn Pillsbury bread dough into shamrock bread.

See's Candies St. Patrick's Day Potato

The most fun activity of all has been trying the See's Candies St. Patrick's Day Potato. Rush out and dig up this fascinating and realistic candy. Apparently, they soon disappear. When my daughter and I opened the box, we were amazed at the realism. The pine nut eyes looked as if they would sprout roots before our own eyes. My 'tween daughter couldn't stop laughing at the cocoa dirt. Beyond the sense of sight, texturally we felt that the candy imitated a boiled potato. It was the precise level of squishiness we expected. We recommend this food-disguise experience!