Nory Ryan's Song

Bibliography

Giff, Patricia Reilly. 2000. Nory Ryan’s Song.  New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-385-32141-4.

Plot Summary

Nory, a young girl residing in Maidin Bay, lives with her family that consisted of her father, two sisters, brother, and grandfather. Nory’s mother had passed away during childbirth. Nory’s father was a fisherman and left months at a time to earn money to pay the landlord known as Lord Cunningham. Though Nory enjoyed singing as much as she could, Nory was left to take care of her siblings and grandfather as well as their chickens, pig, and the potato fields that helped them survive. Nory’s family wakes up to a potato blight that destroys all their potatoes, and leaves them fighting for their lives. Will they recover from the potato blight and survive during this turbulent time?

Critical Analysis

The story takes place in 1845 where we see the effects of the Great Hunger occurring in the small village Nory resides. We see realistic events portrayed through the characters and the struggle of a twelve year old girl who fights hunger and providing optimism to the best of her ability. The use of a fictional character to display the Irish Potato Famine will leave readers having a deeper understanding of the predicament and the great loss. Along with that, Giff provides an author’s note where she shares how she created this story based on family experiences and many visits to Ireland.

Giff creates a character that displays bravery as she risks her own life to keep her family alive during this time. Giff depicts their life and includes details of their poor village and having to sleep on straw beds and the overall atmosphere Nory was living in. The sadness and hopelessness is visible within the village as we visualize the blackened potatoes in their backyards. Though Nory faces a hardship, she continues to sing with grace. Giff creates a story that is easy to follow and understand while giving insight into the true famine occurring in Ireland. Along with that, Giff includes Irish words that creates authenticity in the book. All words are referenced in the glossary for readers to learn.

Overall, the fictional story is presented in a realistic manner that will tug at the hearts of young readers and create an accurate experience Nory was facing. Readers will redefine their sense of hope, and create an appreciation of the life around them.

Review Excerpts and Awards

2011 Newbery Honor Book

ALA Notable Children’s Book

From Kirkus Reviews: “Through young Nory's eyes, the aptly named Great Hunger is devastatingly real: not only do livestock and grain disappear, but so do shellfish and kelp, and finally even nettles and other weeds. Families are mercilessly driven from their homes, the dead are buried without ceremony, and little Patrick becomes ever thinner and more pitiable. Grasping at a sudden chance, big sister Maggie takes off for America, then Granda and teenage Celia set out for Galway, hoping to meet Da on the docks--leaving Nory to care for Patrick, and for old Anna Donnelly, a neighbor with a tragic past, as well. Nory makes the hardest sacrifice of all when an emigrating family invites her along and she sends Patrick in her place. So grim is the picture Giff draws that readers are likely to be startled by the sudden turnaround at the end, when news of Da's reappearance brings ship's passage for all and the prospect of a happy reunion in New York. Still, Nory's patient, stubborn endurance lights up this tale, and the promise of better times to come is well deserved. Riveting.”

Connections

Other books by Patricia Reilly Giff

Pictures of Hollis Woods

Lily’s Crossing

Maggie’s Door

Connections in the classroom

Research The Great Hunger and create an informational text describing the impact it had on those affected.

Learn about the immigration of the Irish to the United States.

Compare and contrast other books that have a similar theme of survival or a courageous girl such as Anne Frank: The Diary of  A Young Girl or Sarah Bishop.