Cool Dude

A study unit by Barbara Heath, Gorsemoor Primary School

Laurence was fed up with being a leprechaun.
He was tired of sitting under a boring old rainbow, guarding a mouldy old crock of gold

and making endless shoes.
He wanted to be a human being.

Laurence is a leprechaun who has been small for 1,100 years and is sick of it. He wants to be TALL. He wants to be cool. Then he meets Phoebe, a large girl who wants to be small.

When she invites him to live in her house, Laurence is delighted. He starts wearing jeans and denim jackets and gets rid of the pointy hat. But there is one thing about leprechauns that you cannot change - they are always up to mischief. And when Laurence decides on a new career, that is when the fun starts!

More information & resources: Barbara Heath's study unit O'Brien Press

Front cover

Look carefully at the cover of your book.
The picture will tell you something about the story.

1. Talk with your partner for two minutes about the cover.

2. Write down three things that you think might be included in this story.

3. Do you think that the cover makes you want to read the story ? Can you say why ?

Back cover

Skim and Scan through it once, then read it carefully.

1. What sort of a person is Laurence ?

2. What is the name of the other main character in the story?

3. Does this blurb make you want to

read the story? Can you say why?

The paragraph about the author,

Siobhán Parkinson, not only gives us a list of her other books, but we can find out where she lives.

Where is this?

Find it on the map of Ireland.

The illustrator draws the pictures.

We can also find out the name of the publishers. These are the people that print the books.
How much would it cost you to buy the book?

Ireland in Schools

Making learning fun & challenging