Greener Grass [Paperback]

Caroline Pignat (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 13, 2009

Governor General's Literary Award nominee 2009

CLA Children's Book of the Year Award shortlist, 2009

Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People 2009 finalist

Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Awards shortlist, 2010

Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice, 2009«Starred Choice

Kit Byrne's family is a strong one, but their strength and unity are being severely tested, as life becomes more and more desperate in 19th century rural Ireland. Lord Fraser is the wealthy landowner, from which the Byrne's and many other families rent their lands. When the potato blight hits, the farmers can no longer make their payments much less produce food for themselves, and the cruel system has no mercy as Lord Fraser wields an iron fist, driving families from their homes and burning their cottages.

Kit's dreams are now dashed as her family experiences a series of tragedies, and as she undergoes a daunting event that tears her away from her family. With her father dead, she must fight for survival and help her ailing mother and siblings escape Ireland for good.

This story is a glimpse into the tragic events of the Great Hunger, the famine that devastated Ireland, forcing thousands of impoverished families to seek better livelihoods outside of their homeland.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* In 1847, 15-year-old Kit is jailed for digging up potatoes on confiscated land to feed her starving family, and during the three weeks that she is incarcerated, she reflects on the past year in Ireland: the blight, famine, evictions, and deaths. Lord Fraser, an Englishman, wants to repossess the land where Kit’s family lives for grazing, and his estate manager, Lynch, sets fires to drive people from their homes. Much as Kit hates working as a kitchen maid in the estate’s Big House, her family needs the money. Then she loses her job, and as she watches her mother sell family treasures, including the Bible and the bed, her sorrow (“I never cried once for fear of never being able to stop”) and raging hatred make her plot dire revenge. Complicating everything further is Kit’s love for Lynch’s son, who loves her back. But can he stand up to his brutal dad? True to Kit’s voice, the plain, rhythmic language (“My home was gone. My heart was broken”) is lyrical but never ornate. The tension in the story and in the well-developed characters is always rooted in daily detail, and it builds to the final question, which suggests a possible sequel: Will Kit make it onto the ship to Canada? Grades 7-10. --Hazel Rochman

Review

"Pignat's writing is strong and detailed, bringing to life historical events in a personal and tangible way. . . For its good writing, its keen perception of human emotions and its incredibly accurate portrayal of An Gorta Mor (the Great Hunger), this is definitely an addition to any 'must read' list of young adult novels.
Highly Recommended."
-- CM Magazine

"A remarkable work of historical fiction."
-- Canadian Children's Book News

"The tension in the story and in the well-developed characters is always rooted in daily detail, and it builds to the final question."
-- Booklist starred review

"Caroline Pignat is a talented storyteller and her writing here creates a memorable story_Quick-paced and compelling, this is a book that will grab your interest, pull at your heartstrings and lead you to look for other books by this fine author."
-- The Brandon Sun

"This well-researched book brings to life the Irish famine of mid-nineteenth century. . . Historical fiction fans will enjoy this book, and teachers and librarians may find its ethical dilemmas highly teachable literature."
-- VOYA

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: Red Deer Press; 1 edition (March 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 088995402X
• ISBN-13: 978-0889954021
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #815,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting reading all the way through, March 14, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Greener Grass (Paperback)

When there's no food on the table and people are wasting away, there's little one won't do to stop it. "Greener Grass" is a tale that takes place during the infamous Irish potato famine. Kit Byrne and family are facing possible death due to malnutrition. Willing to do anything to stop it, Kit soon finds that 'anything' includes some things that she would rather not do, and finds herself in the world of the criminal. A story of the will to survive and the love of the family, "Greener Grass" is riveting reading all the way through.

4.0 out of 5 stars A great novel by Caroline Pignat, July 3, 2011

By 

Literature Worm - See all my reviews

This review is from: Greener Grass (Paperback)

This is a beautifully written heart-wrenching book. The book captures a time in history when thousands of Irish lived through the Great Hunger during the Potato Famine of the mid nineteenth century. Through the eyes of fifteen-year-old Kit Byrne we experience the suffering and losses of death and eviction of the people in her community. The story is a page-turner as we watch Kit grow from an innocent youth in love to a young woman that struggles with hatred and faces a moral dilemma over the theft of food and the murder of their landlord's middleman, Lynch. Although this book is intended for a younger audience, it can be appreciated by anyone wanting to experience a time long past.

3.0 out of 5 stars Not engaging for target audience, March 18, 2010

By 

Canadian Reader "Canadian Reader" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Greener Grass (Paperback)

Yes, the book is well researched and ably written. However, few of my students want to read it, and those who have started it, having read Pignat's earlier book--Egghead, have not stuck with it. The Irish cadence of the language feels forced and there is something about the book--can't quite place my finger on it--that does not ring true. Others have addressed the Irish famine and I don't feel this offering contributes markedly. I prefer Under the Hawthorn Tree.