Mug of green beer flowing freely. Buttons asking strangers for Irish kisses. Images of red-haired leprechauns with leering grins.
The way Samantha Brown, a Johns Creek mother of two, sees it, St. Patrick's Day isn't very kid-friendly. It lacks the recognizable characters of Christmas. Or the promise of sweets that Valentine's Day or Halloween deliver.
Other than dressing up in green, what's in it for kids?
"St. Patrick's Day celebrations can be very adult," said Brown, an ad agency partner with Irish roots. "Most kids have no idea that it is even an Irish holiday."
But Brown is determined to get kids across metro Atlanta excited about waking up early on St. Patrick's Day. She partnered with a longtime friend and neighbor to write a children's book and curriculum about the folklore of St. Patrick's Day, introducing a mysterious character who leaves behind four-leaf clovers, tiny footprints and rewards for good behavior.
Their book, "Lucky the Leprechaun," tells the tale of a wily shoe-making elf who stashes his gold at the end of the rainbow and brings treats for kids. The vibrant tale comes with activities and a craft kit. Kids learn vocabulary words and search for them in puzzles. They also build a trap to catch the leprechaun and his pot of gold.
The book, in its second printing, is being distributed to libraries, day care centers and schools across the nation and Canada. Locally, it is on the shelves of Northeast/Spruill Oaks Library, Shakerag Elementary and Woodward Academy, among other locations.
Co-author Risa Rae Ramji, a photographer and Zumba studio owner, says the book makes St. Patrick's Day fun for kids. She has two.
“It was important to us that the book have a message," she said. "It teaches kids the basic principles of the holiday and to treat others with kindness and respect, to share and to listen to their [parents]. The worksheets have been a hit.”
Kids and adults who have read the story are downloading photos of their leprechaun traps on Facebook and the book's website (www.luckytheleprechaun.com).
Brown and Ramji say their book is homegrown. It was self-published using a metro Atlanta illustrator and printer. It also uses recyclable materials.
“We wanted to be sure Lucky wasn’t the only thing that was green,” Ramji joked.
The hardest part for the creators was finding the right look for Lucky because leprechauns have often been depicted as surly cigar-smoking pranksters or even as bearded fiends as in the 1990s horror flick "Leprechaun."
Lucky is harmless, cartoon-like and whimsical.
Writing the book brought back childhood memories for Brown, who has been setting leprechaun traps since she was 5. It was a family tradition she borrowed from her mother, Lynn Kidrick, and continued with her own girls, Chloe, 9, and Claire, 5. Brown says her girls wake up early on St. Patrick's Day to search the house for signs of a leprechaun visit.
"The treats can be anything from candy to a green pair of socks to pencils, hair bands and bows. Once Lucky left behind a green bowl for cereal," said Brown.
With the luck of the Irish, maybe the tradition will catch on.
"The reception has been awesome,” Brown added. "The leprechaun trap is really taking off."
Info Box:
The children's book "Lucky the Leprechaun" is available at select metro Atlanta libraries, stores and schools.
Price: Book and gift set with support materials is $19.99. The book is sold separately for $9.99. The support materials alone are $4.99.
A portion of sales are donated to charity. (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, among others.)
For information: Luckytheleprechaun.com; Facebook.com/theluckyleprechaun; Twitter: follow1lucky
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