Nory Ryan's Song, by Patricia Reilly Giff

Why you should read this book:

• Too late.  Just a few minutes too late.  Nory had found the courage to ask Anna Donnelly for a coin.  The coin that could save her friend Cat from being turned out of her home.  But by the time she got back to the little house, Cat and her mother were gone, sent to a debtor's prison far from Ireland, far across the oceans to Australia, and all their belongings were taken by greedy neighbors.

  Nory was scared of Anna Donnelly, the old woman who could heal a wen on the finger, or straighten bone with her weeds.  They say Anna Donnelly had magic in her, but her magic wasn't strong enough to save Nory's mother from dying.  But the bailiff had frightened her more than the old healer and in her fright Nory lost the coin down St. Patrick's well, the precious coin gone forever.  Now Nory would have to go back to Anna every day to work in payment for the coin.

  Daily life in 1845 Ireland is filled with peril.  Nory and her family live in constant fear of being driven from their home by the wealthy lord who owns the land.  The English lord would rather use the land to raise sheep.  Her father is away, for a longer time than in years past, on a fishing trip to earn the coins that will pay the rent on their small farm.  While he is gone, Nory's older sister decides not to wait for his return to marry and emigrate with her new husband to America.  Now there is one less mouth to feed, but two less hands to tend the potato crop.  Soon after, blight creeps across the land, poisoning all the potato crops for miles around, taking away their means to survive.  Soon the lord's agent is at their door demanding the rent.  The family must give up their chickens to pay the rent and the little supply of food they had is gone.  As the days go by without food of any kind, Nory must find a way to keep her family from starvation but she must risk her own life to save the lives of her family.  Will Nory succeed?  Read NORY RYAN'S SONG by Patricia Reilly Giff to find out.  (New Hampshire Great Stone Face Committee)

Story Strengths:

• Irish potato famine portrayed with human passion intertwined
• Strong female heroine

Who would love this book:

• Those who enjoy historical fiction and want to learn about Ireland's history at the same time they read fiction

For more information:

• http://suzyred.com/2001nory.html 
• http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/0440418291.asp
• http://nancykeane.com/booktalks/giff_nory.htm 

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