Nory Ryan's family has lived on Maidin Bay on the west coast of Ireland for generations, raising a pig and a few chickens, planting potatoes, ge... read full description
reviews
Oct 21, 2011
Dreamergirl
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Nory Ryan and her family have always been poor. Especially because of the English imperialists which have been ruling their country while taking away homes and anything they could possibly find if somebody didn't pay their monthly rent on time. But life wasn't so bad for Nory, there were her older sisters that she always looked up to, a boy called Sean and the songs she sang. But one day, her sister, Maggy and her fiance decide to move to America while her dad is on a trip to earn money for rent
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Jan 25, 2011
Candace
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It was one of the first historical fiction books I ever read, and it made a lasting impression, over at least...six or seven years. probably nine years. I've forgotten most of the books that I've just read over a month ago. Maybe it was just the idea of the great depression, or that I was obsessed with country living, and being poor. (I was one of those children that liked role playing. I yearned to be an orphan. Not really, it seemed like such an interesting thing. Carrying on.)But over th
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Feb 01, 2010
Nory Ryan's Song
This book takes place in Ireland during the mid 1800. Nory Ryan was a little normal Irish girl until the only food they had, the potatoes, had rotted. The only people she had were her older sister Celia, younger brother pattches, and her grandad. Because her dad was off at sea fishing to pay here bills and there mom died giving birth to pattches.
One day when her dad didn't come home they couldn't pay there bill and coul More...
This book takes place in Ireland during the mid 1800. Nory Ryan was a little normal Irish girl until the only food they had, the potatoes, had rotted. The only people she had were her older sister Celia, younger brother pattches, and her grandad. Because her dad was off at sea fishing to pay here bills and there mom died giving birth to pattches.
One day when her dad didn't come home they couldn't pay there bill and coul More...
Apr 08, 2010
Jmcooke
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Mar 10, 2010
Allie
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I gave this book four stars because it is slow starting at first but in the middle of the book it gets really really good. It makes you not want you to put it down. Like when Nory was walking back from town with a package in her hand, and then some man was following her and then he pushed her to the ground and then took the package from her.To me that is very interesting.This book makes you feel like you are one of the main charaters.
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Mar 06, 2011
L11_Page
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I was disappointed with this historical fiction book. The premise was interesting enough - Ireland's Potato Famine of 1845-1852 and the indifference of England during that period. I also enjoyed reading that the author, Patricia Reilly Giff, has 6 great grandparents who lived through the famine. However, the story dragged on too long. 12 year old protagonist Nory is responsible for her family (Grandfather, 3 year old brother and 14 year old sister) when her oldest sister leaves for America w
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Nov 28, 2010
Michele
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Interest level: 8th +
Reading level: medium
Genre: historical fiction, Great Hunger 1845-1852, potato famine, Ireland
This is one of my favorite historical fiction books. "Nory Ryan's Song" takes place in Ireland during the Potato Famine when many people died of hunger. Told from the point of view of a 12-year old called Nory, this is a very realistic depiction of what many children had to endure during the famine (loss of family, having to make tough decisions, trying More...
Reading level: medium
Genre: historical fiction, Great Hunger 1845-1852, potato famine, Ireland
This is one of my favorite historical fiction books. "Nory Ryan's Song" takes place in Ireland during the Potato Famine when many people died of hunger. Told from the point of view of a 12-year old called Nory, this is a very realistic depiction of what many children had to endure during the famine (loss of family, having to make tough decisions, trying More...
Mar 29, 2010
Elizabeth
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I admire the author's ability to take such a tragic, mature topic and bring the writing down so that a young person can understand it. The topic is the Great Hunger/Irish potato famine. In the book you learn about the lengths that the people must go to find food. Besides the diseased potatoes, the people are being thrown out of their homes by British overlords if they can't pay their rent. Actually, the British overlords have Irish people working for them who do the "dirty work" of evi
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Jul 18, 2010
Amalia
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I stayed up all night crying with this one. Giff is an award winning author who gives us a strong, complex heroine to love and cheer. Nory is a 12 year old girl living in Ireland at the time of the potato famine. Like most 12 year olds, she is a mix of innocence and maturity; she is full of the optimism and idealism of her youth.
As the story unfolds,we watch as Nory must face the often harsh reality of her situation. We see her courage, and her spirit, her compassion and her dete More...
As the story unfolds,we watch as Nory must face the often harsh reality of her situation. We see her courage, and her spirit, her compassion and her dete More...
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Jan 27, 2011
Barbra
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A beautifully written children's 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 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 leav More...
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 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 leav More...
Jan 13, 2012
Katie
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Sweet book. Young Adult literature but even with that classification I felt it lacked some in character and plot development. Somewhat fictionalized story of author's ancestors who lived through the Great Irish Potato Famine. Made me grateful all over again for living in a land of plenty... in fact a land where excess food consumption is the problem. Can't imaging seeing everyone around you slowly starve (especially your own children!) Nory and family (unrealistically)surive and have resourc
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May 02, 2010
Priyanka
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This book is really good.My 4th grade teacher read us this, at that time I didn't like and understand this book. She said it was a really good book, so I decided I would go back to it. It turned out that it is a fantastic book.The author does a really good job writing the book so there's like a movie the book playing in your head while your reading.
I'm not sure that makes sense, but you'll find out what I mean after you read the book. While reading this book I felt so bad for Nory. This b More...
I'm not sure that makes sense, but you'll find out what I mean after you read the book. While reading this book I felt so bad for Nory. This b More...
Feb 10, 2011
Dotty
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In Ireland in 1800’s the land is owned by a few wealthy landowners who exact their rent in potatoes. Would rather run the people off and have sheep grazing
Nory’s father is at sea trying to earn money to take the family away from Ireland. Nory’s sister, Maggie, has immigrated to New York. Nory and her siblings are living with their Granda. As they wait a terrible blight comes on the potatoes. Now they have no potatoes for rent and no potatoes for food. Then word comes there is a packa More...
Nory’s father is at sea trying to earn money to take the family away from Ireland. Nory’s sister, Maggie, has immigrated to New York. Nory and her siblings are living with their Granda. As they wait a terrible blight comes on the potatoes. Now they have no potatoes for rent and no potatoes for food. Then word comes there is a packa More...
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Aug 12, 2011
Farrah
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The book is about a girl named Nory Ryan and her family who live in Ireland. Her oldest sister Maggie and her husband leave for America in the begining of the book. Her family makes most of their money off growing potatoes and the money her father makes working on a fishing boat.Midway through the beginning of the book the potato famine happens. This is where all the potatos have gone bad and cannot be eaten. This causes many people to starve throughout Ireland. The book made me feel mixed emoti
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Mar 16, 2009
Heidi
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This was for the "For St. Patrick's Day read a book set by an Irish author, set it Ireland, or has an Irish main character" in my 2009 Book Challenge. Well, the book met all 3 conditions. (Does that mean I get extra points!?) I think this was actually a perfect book to read for St. Patrick's Day. It helped me more clearly envision what a part of history that I'm familiar with might have been like. And it was a lot scarier and more sorrowful than I've ever imagined it before. The first
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Jul 01, 2007
Abby
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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 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
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Feb 11, 2012
Jennifer
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I've discovered another wonderful children's author! This had a similar feel to Lois Lawry's Number the Stars, a book I love dearly. Patricia Giff has a gift for creating an amazingly vivid and beautiful atmosphere (don't know how else to describe it).
This is the story of Nory Ryan, a very courageous girl who fights bravely to keep her family alive during the Irish potato famine. As I was reading I felt like I was truly inside Nory's head and heart, thinking and feeling right along wi More...
This is the story of Nory Ryan, a very courageous girl who fights bravely to keep her family alive during the Irish potato famine. As I was reading I felt like I was truly inside Nory's head and heart, thinking and feeling right along wi More...
Dec 30, 2009
Bookworm
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This was my favorite book when I was younger. It was the only book I could ever stand to read more than once, and in the end I think I read it three or four times.
Nory Ryan's Song captures life in Ireland during the potato famine in the mid-1800s and is a great resource for teaching kids about poverty--especially during today's tough economic times. The story of Nory Ryan can help kids understand the great importance of family, friends, and keeping hope despite hardship.
Nory Ryan's Song captures life in Ireland during the potato famine in the mid-1800s and is a great resource for teaching kids about poverty--especially during today's tough economic times. The story of Nory Ryan can help kids understand the great importance of family, friends, and keeping hope despite hardship.
Jan 27, 2010
Mylinda
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What a sweet sweet touching book. I love historical fiction and this is a very good one. A super easy read (one afternoon) and I learned so much about this period that I've learned a little about but not enough as my Husband is a RYAN on his mothers side. I enjoyed isualizing as I've been to Ireland and could see in my mind the general setting of this story. This really is a good story and great to share with your kids for history and for "entertainment"
Mar 05, 2010
Rebecca
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Twelve-year-old Nory Ryan and her family have always lived a meager life in the Irish countryside, but they have always managed to make ends meet. But now it's 1845, and a terrible blight is attacking the potato crops, the main source of food for the Irish peasants. And not only are the in danger of starvation, but their English landlord is threatening to turn them off the land that should be theirs if they don't pay the rent soon. But Nory is brave and resourceful, and she comes up with ways to
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Aug 11, 2011
Reading this book tonight transported me into Ireland. I felt the desperation and the hunger and I was desperately angry at those who let people starve and didn't care. The book seemed a little slow and it of course was tremendously depressing, but I liked Nory's determination and I love that this book would allow my children to see a bit of their own heritage and be grateful for the safe and blessed life we have now.
Jan 13, 2011
Ada
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Coming from the land of the Potato Famine, I am interested in historical fiction of Ireland.
This novel meant for the middle aged child traces a family's experiences during the time Irish peasants were leaving in large numbers for America. They were starving, turned out of their mean cottages, often burned out, because the potato crop turned to stinking mush in the fields.
I thought the novel effective without being brutal.
This novel meant for the middle aged child traces a family's experiences during the time Irish peasants were leaving in large numbers for America. They were starving, turned out of their mean cottages, often burned out, because the potato crop turned to stinking mush in the fields.
I thought the novel effective without being brutal.
Aug 24, 2011
Cindy
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This book started a little slow for me, but didn't take long to really get into. I could really feel their struggles and desperation to find food for the family. My great-grandparents came from Ireland during the the potato famine so this book was especially touching to me. It really made me stop and think. I wondered if I would have been strong enough to survive. I have never in my life known hunger like that. I'm grateful for the perseverance of my ancestors. While written for a younger re
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Dec 11, 2011
Chrissy
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The writing style of this children's novel is good, but the story itself is limited by the setting and kind of drags on. Even though there isn't much of a plot (nor a satisfactory conclusion), I liked it well enough; the characters and dialogue were interesting, and different from most books. And the author really does write well. The sea, the hilly, desolate countryside--even the potatoes--seem real and vivid.
Aug 17, 2009
Lesley
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This was a very good young adult book. Historical fiction is my favorite genre so it definitely fits that. I like some other books by Patricia Reilly Giff better but this book is great for learning about the potato famine in Ireland. The themes of family and friendship are tied in throughout. I think I'll remember this book as an encouraging story where young people display strength, compassion and wit.
Sep 18, 2011
Danielle
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I read this book when I was in elementry school and remembered likeing it so when I found it at a library book sale I figured I should read it again. This story is about a girl living during the potato famine in Ireland during the 1800s and how she helps her family survive and eventually find their way to America. I didn't enjoyed this story as much as I probably did as a child but the book is geared toward a younger age group. I liked how selfless the main character Nory was; she always made su
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Jul 14, 2010
Sarah
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this one is a thinker. A historical fiction account of the author's ancestors during one of the irish potato famines as told from the perspective of a child. I don't know if I could do it, but I guess when there is no other options, you just have to buck up. Easy read, I am reading this to my kids now, hoping that they become and ponder on how blessed we are and how much we do have.
Aug 28, 2010
Leslie
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Awwwwww, I loved this book. My kids did too. We think a movie should be made about Nory's story. I haven't read any historical fictions about this time (Irish potato famine) so this was helped me to learn more about what the people went through. It was also good for my kids to learn about what some of our ancestors went through. We listened to the audio version which was wooooonderful!
Mar 22, 2011
Katrina
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I really I think I read this as a child, but now as I listen to it I don't remember anything...so maybe I didn't. But it's an excellent book, very well written, and heartbreakingly poignant. It makes me grateful for my own trials and that I've never had to go through starvation and hopelessness like this. Nory is inspiring.
Dec 14, 2009
Charlotte
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This is a youth historical fiction book written about a family in Ireland during the potato famine. It's a quick read. I liked it, and it ended on a hopeful note, but at one point about 2/3 of the way through the book, it was so depressing I had to put it down for a while. I am reading the sequel now.
