Nory Ryan's Song, by Patricia Giff

Nory Ryan's Song, by Patricia Reilly Giff, is a historical fiction book set in the year 1845 that takes place on Maidin Bay, a land located on the west coast of Ireland. The protagonist of the book is a girl named Nory Ryan. Her family raises potatoes as their primary source of food. Her father, Da, sails away on a fishing boat to earn money for Lord Cunningham, the landlord of Maidin Bay. Lord Cunningham tries to make life as difficult as possible for the Irish people so they will immigrate to another place and he will be able to graze sheep over the lands of abandoned homes. Nory Ryan's sister, Maggie Ryan, decides to move to Brooklyn, a city in New York, which is in the United States. The Ryan family hope to move to the United States as well.

In a few weeks, almost every citizen, serf and farmer leave Maidin Bay to go to America forever to avoid bankruptcy. The Ryans start to lose money and Da does not return during the time he usually does every year. A potato blight occurs, which runs the potatoes and start a famine. Will Nory Ryan's family survive?

I highly recommend this book because it has a big appeal that makes people learn of experiencing famines and harsh times when having to work for a landlord.



-Reviewed by E.C., grade 9.