Nora Ryan’s song

This is one depressing book. It's the tale of a girl, Nory Ryan, who suffers through An Gorta Mór--the Great Hunger--of 1845-1852. The Ryans, like their neighbors, are poor and in debt to their English landlord, Lord Cunningham. Life is hard as they struggle to make ends meet. When disease

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decimates everyone's potato crops, it becomes unbearable. The story is rife with sorrow and disappointment, as if the author is kicking the characters when they're down. But then, a famine is hardly a time of joy and contentment. Depressing as this book is, I would still have to tell you to check it out, if for no other reason than it will truly give you a feeling of what life was like for the folks back then.
--J.

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Nory Ryan is content with her life, waiting for her Da to come back with money from his fishing expeditions, dreaming about the day that they'll all move to Brooklyn, New York, America and be free from hunger and walk on streets paved with diamonds. She helps take care of her younger brother and

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they are content, if a bit hungry. Then comes the day that she realizes that the potato crops are black with rot. Her oldest sister announces that she's leaving to Brooklyn with her fiancee and now Nory is responsible for the family. How will they survive with no food until Da comes home with the fishing money? And what happens if the British landlords come demanding the rent?

A bittersweet story about the Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s. I learned a lot I didn't know, especially about the treatment of the Irish by the British. The narrator was pleasant to listen to and it was a nice touch that the author's note was read by the author.

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When a terrible blight attacks Ireland's potato crop in 1845, twelve-year-old Nory Ryan's courage and ingenuity help her family and neighbors survive.

"Nory Ryan's Song" is a touching tale of a young Irish girl's struggle during the potato famine of 1845. Facing financial hardship even before the start of the famine, Nory's family slowly starts to pull apart. Her mother died giving birth to Nory's three-year-old brother, Patch, and her father is

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off in Gallway working as a fisherman in order to support the family. Hoping to find a better life and make one less burden for the Ryan family, Nory's oldest sister, Maggie, marries her fiance and moves to Brooklyn, New York, leaving Nory with Granda, Celia, and Patch. As neighbors are evicted by their English landlord and more time passes without word from her father, twelve-year-old Nory dreams of the family following Maggie to New York where the streets are paved with diamonds.

Then the famine hits, destroying the potatoes, leaving the country largely without food and with no crop to harvest and sell. Struggling to find food and work, the Ryans are torn apart again when Granda and Celia leave, hoping to find Nory's father on the road to Gallway. Nory and Patch stay with Anna Donnelly until the Mallons come with an extra ticket to America for Nory. Instead, Nory sends Patch with Mallons, leaving her without any family at all. Will she ever reunite with them? Will she stay in Ireland through the famine or join Maggie and Patch in America?

I enjoyed reading this book, though I can see where children might find it a little slow. There isn't much action because the focus is on the family and the choices that must be made. I think that the author, Patricia Reilly Giff, did a great job portraying the setting in both place and time. She included Irish Gaelic words in the characters' speech and provided a translation and pronunciation glossary at the beginning of the book. Having the story from Nory's perspective also authenticated the struggle caused by the times. This story is a must read for all persons curious about or interested in the Irish Potato Famine and the subsequent emigration to America.

Appropriate for grades 4-6. If you enjoyed this novel, Nory's story continues in "Maggie's Door".

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Takes place in Ireland about 1850 - a family loses everything and decides to leave.

Nory Ryan's Song is the first in a trilogy about an Irish family leaving Ireland for Brooklyn, New York amid the catastrophe of the potato famine. Nory Ryan and her family live in an Irish glen by the sea. There they are oppressed by an English landlord who is always seaching for the simplest

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excuse to evict his tenants to make way for grazing sheep, a far more profitable venture than collecting rent from struggling Irish families who are barely scraping by on the income from their potato fields.

When, in 1845, the potato crop succombs to a blight that rots the potatoes before they can be harvested, it doesn't take long for the landlord to come collecting the rent and finding money wanting, to begin evicting families who have nowhere to go. As food becomes scarcer and their neighbors begin to starve, Nory and her friend Sean Red Mallon know that there is one hope for them: to follow their older siblings to Brooklyn in America and a better life.

Nory Ryan's Song is great historical fiction for younger readers that will introduce them to a crushing time in Irish history and opens a window into the Irish immigrant experience. Even as an adult, I really appreciated this tale of strength in suffering at a time when the only way to save yourself was to plunge into the unknown with only hope to sustain you. The quickness with which Nory and her family as well as her neighbors go from ekeing out a living to starving to death was a revelation even to me. The cruelty of English landlords and their reasons for it was unbelievably despicable.

Nory is a great narrator and perfect glimpse into this time when, even as a child, you had to be strong and self-sacrificing to survive. Her love for her home and her neighbors are evident, but so are her hopes and dreams for an almost mythical better future in an America where, people say, the streets are paved with diamonds. Nory's life and the difficult choices she must make are a heartrending and convincing, as well as accurate, picture of the immigrant experience.

Nory Ryan's Song is a sad but also so hopeful story. I'm totally in love with Nory, and I know, despite my determination to stop buying books with such reckless abandon, that its sequel, Maggie's Door, is in my future. I can't wait to see what the journey to America has in store for the captivating Irish characters Giff has created to fill in the gaps in the story of her own family's origins.

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A beautifully written childrens book about the Irish Potato Famine. Ages 8-12.

Back Cover Blurb:
' Three steps, then I eased the door open. Outside it was bright as day. The moon was up, full and white, throwing sharp shadows away from me. I heard thunder somewhere, though, and the air was damp and

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heavy.
Nighttime belonged to the sidhr, so I was afraid to take more than a few steps, but it was far enough. The potato stalks leaned against each other, limp and wet, the leaves shapeless and drifting.
I pulled up the edge of my petticoat to cover my nose and backed against the wall of the house. My throat felt thick. In my mind was Granny Mallon's voice, 'Without potatoes we will starve to death.' '

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This narrative was written more for pre-teens than adults, however I found it quite interesting. The language is simply, but that does not detract from the impact of the words.



The novel is written from the perspective of a young girl at the beginning of the Irish Famine, just before the blight

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begins to affect the potatoes. You see her struggling to take care of her family in the place of her mother - who died in childbirth - and her father who is off trying to earn them money. You see her trying to find food to feed her siblings, to find money to pay the Englishman for the rent. It's heartbreaking reading about their struggles, particularly when you know about all the people who die later in the famine, and when you realize that the whole situation was completely preventable.

The novel is quite short, and it ends before her family sets out for America, which happens in the sequel. Further, it was written in the style of The Giver, another classic youth book. As I adore The Giver (recently read - review pending!), I cannot give a higher recommendation than that.



If someone is looking for a quick read, or some basic information on the Irish Famine, I would certainly recommend this book.

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Nory is unlike any 12 year old I have ever met. She works hard to help her family and shows how important they are to her. Good book for middle school childern to learn about hardship and hunger.

Interest/Reading Level: Grades 5-10

Synopsis:
Nory Ryan is teenager living in Ireland during the great potato famine mid-19th century. Her mother (Mam) is deceased; her father (Da) is a sailor working away from home, and her grandfather (Granda) takes care of the family. The Ryan’s rent their

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house and land from an English nobleman. He is in the process of taking back his properties as people cannot pay their rent. Times are very tough as the famine has taken food off of everyone’s table resulting in people fleeing the country. Nory’s oldest sister, Maggie, is one who leaves for Brooklyn, NY, USA in search of a better life. Maggie promises to get settled and send for the rest of the family. Celia, Nory’s next oldest sister, leaves the homestead to find Da. Nory takes care of her younger brother, Patch, and is a good neighbor to those in need. Granda takes a job away from home in hopes of earning some money to keep things together until Da returns. Nory is resourceful and trades what she can for food to keep Patch and herself alive. An old woman healer, Anna, teaches Nory her ways of using herbs and plants to heal the ills of neighbors. It is up to Nory to be resourceful to survive. Will Nory and Patch find Da and Celia? Will Granda return with money? Will the family ever be together again under one roof. The ending is a surprise.

Reflection:
Have an interest in Irish history this was interesting to see from the viewpoint and perspective a 12-year old girl. The west coast of Ireland can be brutal with the inclement weather and the potato famine only made a tough life harder. The beginning of the book provides a glossary with Gaelic/Irish words which helps the reader to feel the characters language. For years, I’ve used the word fuafar (means disgusting) and found it amusing as it is used as a descriptor for many situations. Anna, the old healer, finishes Nory’s fuafar shawl so she can take it with her to American. This is a very sweet scene giving Nory something very Irish and reflective of Anna so Nory does not forget her roots. Nory is a strong, female character that is inspirational and a testament to the will to live at all costs. She is fiercely protective of her family and those she loves. Not a bad theme for today’s middle school student. I did like the book although a tad sad.

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Summary:

This is a story of the great potato famine of Ireland in ?? This is the story of Nory Ryan and her family. In the beginning, Nory lived with her two sisters, one brother, and Grandpa. Her dad was off in another town making money for the family. Throughout the story, her family and friends

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move away because of the family. In the end, Nory also moves to America.

Personal Reaction:

I enjoyed this book. It was very heart wrenching, however. I cannot imagine what all those people went through. Even though we face hard times, we can still get food from other people. In Ireland, though, no one had food.

Classroom Extension Ideas:

1. Use the book as an intro to teach the children about The Great Potato Famine.

2. Use the book to teach the children about helping the needy. Help and encourage the children to have a food drive the whole week.

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I liked this book. I enjoyed the plot of the story and the variety of characters. The plot of the story was very engaging. The author had you rooting for Nory’s family hoping they would find a way to survive. The story starts with the beginning of the potato famine. The Ryan family is already

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living in poverty but now that they won’t be getting their potato crop for the year they won’t be have any money and they won’t have any food to eat. Nory trys to find different ways for her family to keep going but their efforts seem futile. Her family keeps separating and she only has one wish, to go to America and be happy and never hungry. In the end Nory is on her way to a ship to go to America. It leaves you wondering what happens next. I enjoyed the different characters. You have Nory the passionate caregiver, Celia the loyal and true sister, Sean Red is Nory’s best friend who supports all her ideas, Anna is the caregiver of Nory who teaches her all about herbs and medicine. All the characters are different which helps to make the story much more interesting and engaging. The big idea of the story is the struggle for survival.

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I enjoyed this story since it was relatable and the language was descriptive. The story also made the reader feel transported to Nory’s Ireland. The story was relatable since I am Irish. I’ve always wanted to learn more about what the potato famine was like since that was the time my ancestors

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came to America. I was able to indirectly relate to Nory’s struggles and experience from prior knowledge about the time period from family stories and research. I connected most to Nory’s kind heart and strong-willed mind. When she cared enough to face her fear of Anna to get money to save a family she shows her compassion; I myself try to help others when I can think of a way or when a way presents itself as well. When Nory said she wouldn’t go to America she was strong-willed; I also can be strong-willed when it comes to my personal choices, beliefs, or studies. The language being very descriptive helped “transport” the reader to Ireland during the potato famine. In one instant the author states “ you could clearly count the dogs ribs..” which gives detail to the hardship and lack of food that not only the tenant farmers were experiencing but their pets as well. The stories big idea is to inform readers about the hardships faced during the Great Famine without boring dates and something exciting and relatable to them. The story was about Nory’s family during the potato famine in Ireland. Nory, having a kind heart, goes to borrow a coin from Anna to save another family from being kicked out of the farm. Nory is too late but ends up having to work for Anna because she drops the coin in the well. Nory learns about how to use plants and herbs for medical purposes. Eventually Nory’s family decides to go to America, where milk comes in cans and food is of no worry, but Nory is hesitant at first but eventually goes along with the trip.

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Overall, I feel this book was quite the amazing read. It had its moments like most books where the story became slow and uninteresting. However, I still enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it for anyone who has not yet read it.
I feel the author choose an amazing topic to write about.

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People hear about wars and conflicts all of the time, but it is rare to hear of such tragic events. Events like plagues or famines are rarely discussed in history classes. I know many people had read this book as a student, but I never had. Honestly, we hardly discussed the potato famine at all in any of my classes. Reading this book brought good insight and emotion about a topic that I had very little knowledge about. In the author’s note, Patricia Giff discusses more about the potato famine. “The Great Hunger of 1845 to 1852 was a tragic time for the Irish. Enough food to feed double the population was sent out across the sea, while an indifferent government ignored the starving masses.”
Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the development of the characters, especially Nory Ryan. Although Nory was only 12 years old, it was very easy to relate to her. Many people have gone through situations (including me) where things are going good and you make ends meet, when suddenly a difficult situation arises. Although she is only 12 years old, she takes on the role of supporting her family and providing food to save them from starvation. Her father is taking longer than normal to return from fishing with money, so her family is also under the threat of being evicted from their home. With little money and food, Nory has to summon the courage, resilience, and resourcefulness to help her family survive. Through all of her hardships, the author has a great skill in developing deep emotion through her words. To develop a scene in my head to see Nory climbing trees to find bird eggs, it gives the reader a great sense of the desperation that everyone was feeling during that time.
In my eyes, the overall message was about family and resilience. How important it is to stay true to yourself and help your loved ones, especially during times of hardship. Hard times always bring people closer together, and I think this book is proof of it. Also, I feel this book gives a great sense to a unfamiliar reader of what life was like in Ireland during these hard times.

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Giff is good, and rivka said Lisa V liked it. See what your friends are reading" in action!"

In Ireland, 1845, life is brutal for those lacking in resources. The potato famine occurred, destroying a crop that sustained the poor. This is a small, but mighty book, and analogous to the character, it becomes a wonderful YA book that teaches the plight of the poor in Ireland and their desire to

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find a way out of their country to the land of plenty. Families dreamed of affording the price of tickets to come to America, and Nory Ryan's family is no exception.
The main character is young and responsible for finding food for her family while her father is away fishing in the hope of catching excess in order to not only feed the family, but find safety in a new country.

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