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Read Maggie's Door (2005)

Maggie's Door (2005)

Online Book

Genre
Series
Rating
3.86 of 5 Votes: 3
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ISBN
0440415810 (ISBN13: 9780440415817)
Language
English
Publisher
yearling

Maggie's Door (2005) - Plot & Excerpts

I picked this book up to read because I was attempting to find 4 different chapter books for my 4th graders that deal with immigration (different times, places) to America that we could use for literature circles. This book is the continuing story of Nory Ryan and her family's life in Ireland. I had not read the first book in the series (and apparently there is another that follows it), however, it was not necessary to have read the earlier book to understand what is happening. This book deals with the after math of the potato famine in Ireland and the great wave of immigration to NYC that occurred afterwards. It documents Nory Ryan's departure from her home, her journey to the port to meet her boat, and the boat trip over to the United States. It does a good job at capturing some of the emotions and feelings that would have been happening for a person in her situation. I liked how the narration switched back and forth between Nory and her friend Sean, and showed slightly different experiences. The fourth/fifth grade girl that I once was would have loved the hints that were placed about an impending romance. The pacing was a bit slow, however, in some ways this did serve the purpose of the book, as the journey on the boat to America was a bit slow. My biggest wish is that the author had given a bit more background on the potato famine, and what arrival in America would have been like, they jump past the Ellis Island bit, which I was hoping to see in the novel.

After Nory's decision to leave Ireland for America, she is split up from the Mallons and her little brother, Patch. Her grandpa, her sister Celia and her dad have already gone ahead to the docks which is a long way away. The story not only tells the path of Nory, but of Sean Red also, Nory's friend and Mrs. Mallon's son. Their paths intertwine without them knowing it, and for a while, Nory believes that she'll never be able to see Sean again. This story amazed me. The wonderful storytelling kept you reading until you finished the book, and it was difficult to set down. The characters went smoothly from the first book in the set to the second, but there is also background information if you read this first. One of my favorite things about this book though was how realistic it was historically. The book discussed the social gap between the poor immigrants and the rich families, and also gave amazing descriptions of what the journey to the boat was like and conditions on the boat (which could be horrifying at times.)The plot flowed well and it ended on a touching note, helping the reader remember all the characters that were lost but also all the characters who developed a new life.

What do You think about Maggie's Door (2005)?

Written by award-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff (Newbery Honor Book and ALA Notable Books), Maggie's Door portrays the harrowing journey of Nory and Sean, Irish youth who are escaping the potato famine of the 1840s. Detailed descriptions of extreme hunger, terrible shipboard conditions, and the loss of loved ones make this a tense book at times. But the story will help 5th-7th grade students understand why people left their home countries to become immigrants to America. There was nothing left for them at home: no food, no chance of employment, and many family members had already left or died. Since it is written from the point of view of young teens, students will be able to relate to their feelings of wanting to find their parents and will be very interested to learn how different our lives are today. The book could be a part of literature circles or used to stimulate discussion about poor conditions in other countries as part of an immigration unit. It will make very clear to students why people would leave their home countries to come to America and can serve as a beginning to learning about other countries of origin as well. This book received a Kirkus starred review. A companion book could be the prequel, "Nory Ryan's Song", which describes the conditions in Ireland during the famine before the characters' crossing to America.
—538am_Kelly O'Hara

My sixth graders were required to read this book over the summer if they were enrolled in advanced social studies this year. I finally finished reading the book last week. I wasn't impressed. The main character is a young girl whose family is trying to get to America from Ireland during the potato famine. I didn't feel like there was enough historical background information to convey why it was so important for them to leave their home country. The characters were also one-dimensional. Their arrival in the United States was anti-climactic. I wasn't on the committee that selected this book, and I hope it is not on the list again next year.
—Forgetfulone

416 Smith Street, Brooklyn, America: this is the ultimate goal for Nory Ryan as she flees her famine-ridden home in mid-1800s Ireland. One by one, her family has departed for a new life in America; Nory is the last to go. Keeping her sister Maggie's address close to her heart, Nory embarks on the perilous, heart-breaking journey to Galway and onward. Meanwhile, her friend Sean Red Mallon is just a few days ahead, traveling with his mother and Nory's little brother, Patch, with the same destination in mind. Picking up where Nory Ryan's Song leaves off, award-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff's historical novel tells, in alternating voices, Nory and Sean's stories. Readers will be engrossed in the series of dramatic events, as well as the grueling day-by-day struggle, as the protagonists suffer injuries, thievery, separations, and horrific sea passages. The very real tragedy of the Irish potato famine and the subsequent exodus from that country is brought to life in a fictional account that will make a profound, lasting mark on the memories of young readers. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter
—NSAndrew Liebergen

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