Aug 13, 2019 | ISBN 9780823439553 | 10-14 years
★ “Written in free verse, the story moves quickly, but the clarity of the writing and the images created leave strong impressions of the characters and settings. The subtly shifting emotional tenor of the narrative ranges from pensive to sorrowful and from desperate to hopeful. . . . A vivid, involving historical novel.”—Booklist, Starred Review
★ “Giff has the rare gift of using few words—but exactly the right ones—to evoke strong and varied images and feelings. Readers will be riveted . . . Lovely.” —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“Anna’s simultaneous desperation and determination are palpable . . . Archival photos illuminate the loss and injustice inflicted on the Irish, and Giff (Lily’s Crossing) brings Anna’s story to a triumphant close.”—Publishers Weekly
”Giff draws on personal family history to tell Anna’s painful and courageous story. Written in verse, this is a great introduction to Irish history and the genre of historical fiction. Primary source photographs and a glossary lend to the novel’s authenticity. This is a great selection for young fans of historical fiction who may not be ready for something weightier.”—School Library Journal
“In late-nineteenth-century Ireland, the Mallon family struggles to stay in their home and farm their land—land now controlled by an English earl determined to evict them by raising rents and taxes. . . . Giff employs small incidents, such as the carding of wool or Anna’s rationing potatoes, to create a substantial setting, while archival photographs sprinkled throughout link these moments to the conditions of the larger community and history.”— The Horn Book
