Nory Ryan's Song

By: Patricia Reilly Giff

Narrated by: Susan Lynch

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, getting by. Every year Nory's father goes away on a fishing boat and returns with the rent money for the English lord who owns their cottage and fields, the English lord bent upon forcing the Irish from their land so he can tumble the cottages and clear the fields for grazing. Times are never easy on Maidin Bay, but this year, a terrible blight attacks the potatoes. No crop means starvation. Twelve-year-old Nory must summon the courage and ingenuity to find food, to find hope, to find a way to help her family survive.©2000 Patricia Reilly Giff; (P)2000 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

Reviewed in Bookselling Kids' Pick of the Lists Part Two for October 2000.

Stirring Tale. Brilliantly Told.

This story is captivating. Listened with my kids as part of their homeschooling curriculum, but we kept staying out extra, driving to hear more. wonderful!

Entertaining & educational

Good book!
I love how well they made a first person view of the Irish potato blight! It was intriguing to see how these characters adapted in this historical fiction!
Whit 15

Get this book now!
This is an amazing book of difficulties, family, and the lack of potatoes. This book puts you in the perspective of a young girl during the great potato famine of 1845, all her failures and successes in getting food and eventually moving to America where the rest of her family are.
Cam 13

Love it still !

I’m 22 , when I was in 5th grade we read this book . It brings back so many memories it was just so lovely to listen to .

A spellbinding tale of which Americans don't know.

I was hesitant to read this book because I am not usually a fan of historical fiction. Thankfully for the author, I was required to read it for class. This book not only entertaining, it is enchanting and gives you first-hand experience of what it means to live through a famine. At just under four hours, it is a really easy listen.

Nory Ryan's Song Wonderfully Read!

This book was one that touched my heart when I read it that I knew as a teacher I must share it with my students. Every class that has read this or listened to it being read have commented to me that this book was their all time favorite of what we have read. I was so pleased when the continuation of this wonderful story was written, "Maggie's Door". Now both books have become my permanent selection to read with my students every March along with our study of Ireland. I highly recommend Nory Ryan's Song and Maggie's Door in book form and in audio! The narration, with its Irish accent of Susan Lynch, adds a special touch my students really enjoy!