Hunger: a Tale of Courage

Hunger: a Tale of Courage
Donna Jo Napoli
Simon & Schuster, 2018 259 pages
Grades 5-8
Historical Fiction

Twelve-year-old Lorraine, along with her parents and little brother, Paddy, live in a small hut as tenant farmers in rural Ireland in the mid 1800's. The mainstay of the Irish people is Potatoes, since they must sell grains for rent and the game belongs to the British landlords. For the second year in a row the potato crop is riddled with a terrible fungus that kills the crop and leaves the people without food. Many farmers are kicked off the property they tend for lack of a crop for rent and even more leave for Scotland, England, Canada, or America for food and opportunities. Lorraine sees families roaming the countryside looking for food and work, even while her family and the other families on the estate are starving. Quite by chance, Lorraine meets Susanna, the young daughter of the landlord, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. Susanna slips Lorraine some food, although she will not give her extra to help her friends and family. One family on the property dies of fever and other families talk of leaving. Susanna finally offers a solution to Lorraine in order for her to help her loved ones, but is it enough? More tragedy strikes and there are no easy solutions as Lorraine's family must make tough decisions about the future and their own survival.

There are not many books on the Irish Potato famine for young people. The ones I have read tend to be about folks leaving and immigrating to America, not trying to stick it out in Ireland. This gave an authentic Irish voice to the tragic events that wiped out a good chunk of the population over one-hundred years ago and provided the catalyst for many Americans ancestors to travel to America, thus being part of our own heritage. Seasoned author, Napoli, clearly did her research. The book is entertaining with an exciting plot, all while staying true to the actual events of the time. A brief introduction informs readers of the bacteria invading the potatoes and extensive back-matter contains an author's note with further information, a glossary of Irish terms, a bibliography for further reading, and a timeline of Irish history through the potato famine. The book boasts a great cover that will entice readers (it worked for me!) and a fresh topic for those dreaded historical fiction book reports. Many libraries have put this book in the teen section. I think it is one of those "in-between" books that straddles both juvenile and teen sections. There is nothing mature or inappropriate for kids, yet there are deaths, so sensitive kids may want to stay away. I called it Angela’s Ashes-lite, as tragedy kept striking. Lately I have had many requests for "sad books" and this one certainly fills the bill, although it does end on a hopeful note. A well-researched and written piece of historical fiction.