Patrick and the President

From foremost radio and television broadcaster Ryan Tubridy, and Kate Greenaway Medal-winner P. J. Lynch, comes a picture book about President John F. Kennedy's return to his ancestral home in Ireland. When the much-loved President visited Ireland in 1963, he described it as the best four days of his life and, for a generation of Irish people, it was a trip they never forgot. In this warmly told, big-hearted picture book, Ryan captures the fevered excitement in the build-up to JFK's visit – all evoked through the eyes of a young boy called Patrick who wants to know, more than anything, what it would feel like to shake the President's hand... Rooted in historical fact, and marking the centenary of JFK's birth, this feast of a book offers readers a very pure and personal take on JFK's visit to County Wexford and includes a time line in the back matter.

“sure to capture the imagination of little kids, big kids and lovers of history.” RSVP magazine
“The story is pure, personal and completely real. […] A fascinating book to pour over, read for enjoyment and use as learning tool in a history lesson.” Armadillo
This is a book that pulls you in against your better judgment […] what makes it winning is the sense that it is a true story and the tremendous sense of the period brought home in Lynch’s accomplished, emotionally acute illustrations. Observer
“Lynch’s illustrations are suffused with a nostalgic hue, evoking old advertisements from the 1960s, and his expressive characters are brought to life with painterly, photorealistic skill. Tubridy adds historical richness with a light touch […]” Irish Times Weekend
“From end paper to end paper this book exudes quality. […] Tubridy and Lynch have created a masterful picture book in the tradition of a story well-told in both word and image.” The School Librarian

Ryan Tubridy has become one of Ireland’s leading and best-loved media personalities. He has had a distinguished career so far, gracing both the Irish and UK airwaves, which have seen him win numerous awards and accolades. He is best recognized as the current host of the world’s longest running chat show, The Late Late Show. He is also the author of an adult non-fiction title, JFK in Ireland: Four days that Changed a President. He lives in Dublin.

P.J. Lynch has won many awards throughout his incredible illustrative career, including the Mother Goose Award, the Christopher Medal three times, the Irish Bisto Book of the Year award and the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal on two occasions, first for The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski, and again for When Jessie Came Across the Sea by Amy Hest. He lives in Dublin with his wife and their three young children. Find him online at pjlynchgallery.blogspot.co.uk and on Twitter as @PJLynchArt.

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