The Ghost of Grania O'Malley [Hardcover]

Michael Morpurgo (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Despite the haunted reputation of Big Hill on Clare Island, Jesse is not afraid and goes in search of Big Hill's magic, only to stumble upon the ghost of Grania O'Malley, who helps Jesse cope with her illness while they mutually work to unite the bitterly divided community.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6?Realism and fantasy are artfully blended in this novel set on an island off the Irish coast. Jessie struggles with cerebral palsy, but her hardest battle is against those who continually remind her of her limitations. Unbeknownst to anyone, she climbs the Big Hill that dominates Clare Island. There she appreciates the splendid view and feels the magic of a special place. There, too, she hears for the first time the voice of the long-dead female pirate, Grania O'Malley. Jessie's world is soon disrupted both by the arrival of Jack, an American cousin, and by the news that a mining company has acquired rights to cut off the top of Big Hill to search for gold. However, Grania O'Malley is determined to save it, involving Jessie and Jack in her plans. In a climactic confrontation, Jack makes a heartfelt plea that results in the community ascending the hill en masse to defend it. O'Malley and her pirate band join in to create a triumphant victory. There is a lot going on in the story; however, Morpurgo combines the many elements successfully. Jessie is an appealing character who grows in self-confidence and in the eyes of others. Jack's sojourn to Ireland helps him see what is important so that he can return home able to face his own problems. The appearances and actions of the pirates are convincing, and several minor characters are distinctly portrayed. An appealing, well-told story.?Jane Gardner Connor, South Carolina State Library, Columbia
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-6. From the Big Hill on Clare Island, which Jessie struggles to climb despite her cerebral palsy, she can see the ocean, the bay, and the mainland of Ireland. Soon a struggle over the hill itself divides the islanders, and even Jessie's family, into two camps: those who support destroying the Big Hill in hopes of economic development, and those who struggle to preserve the hill and all it represents. Into this realistic story strides the larger-than-life ghost of Grania O'Malley, the Irish pirate queen, who's ready to give up her legendary treasure for the hill she loves, and willing to do more when that's not enough. History and fantasy weave in and out of the story, inextricable and convincing within the realistic, contemporary setting. The book's conclusion brings a sense that an enormously important, unwieldy, and difficult problem has finally come right. An interesting change of pace for Morpurgo, whose The War of Jenkins' Ear was Booklist's 1995 Top of the List winner for youth fiction. Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (August 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670868612
• ISBN-13: 978-0670868612
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,361,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ghosts and pirates make exciting historical fiction!, April 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Ghost of Grania O'Malley (Hardcover)

This story takes place in Clare, Ireland, where greedy developers want to destroy a small mountain looking for gold. Jessie is aided by a visiting American cousin - and the ghost of Grania O'Malley, a woman pirate.