Marita Conlon-McKenna Books In Order

Under the Hawthorn Tree

One of the greatest historical fiction adventures in children’s literature. Marita Conlon McKenna’s Children of the Famine series brings to life as never before the Great Famine of 1840s Ireland and the immigrations that followed. Winner of many awards and accolades, these are all time classics in historical fiction for children. Join siblings Eily, Michael, and Peggy on their incredible journey as they overcome tragedy, famine, and poverty to make their way in a dangerous new world. ‘Beautiful and moving historically true and fictionally vivid.’ Sunday Times ‘Not a word, spoken or unspoken, nor an emotion, is wasted. Pace and style keep the pages turning, and you are filled with a sense of wanting more at the end. Highly recommended.’ Books Ireland ‘Brings to a satisfying conclusion one of the undoubted achievements of contemporary Irish children’s literature.’ Children’s Books in Ireland ‘Three novels which, in my opinion, must be counted among the very highest achievements of contemporary children’s writing from Ireland or elsewhere.’ Robert Dunbar Awards for Under the Hawthorn Tree 1991 International Reading Association Award 1991 Reading Association of Ireland Award 1993 Shortlisted for sterreichischer Kinder und Jugendbuchpreis 1994 Shortlisted for Le Prix Litteraire du Roman pour Enfants

Wildflower Girl

One of the greatest historical fiction adventures in children’s literature. Marita Conlon McKenna’s Children of the Famine series brings to life as never before the Great Famine of 1840s Ireland and the immigrations that followed. Winner of many awards and accolades, these are all time classics in historical fiction for children. Join siblings Eily, Michael, and Peggy on their incredible journey as they overcome tragedy, famine, and poverty to make their way in a dangerous new world. ‘ Beautiful and moving…
historically true and fictionally vivid.’ Sunday Times ‘ Not a word, spoken or unspoken, nor an emotion, is wasted. Pace and style keep the pages turning, and you are filled with a sense of wanting more at the end. Highly recommended.’ Books Ireland ‘ Brings to a satisfying conclusion one of the undoubted achievements of contemporary Irish children’s literature.’ Children’s Books in Ireland ‘ Three novels which, in my opinion, must be counted among the very highest achievements of contemporary children’s writing from Ireland or elsewhere.’ Robert Dunbar

Fields of Home

One of the greatest historical fiction adventures in children’s literature.

Marita Conlon McKenna’s Children of the Famine series brings to life as never before the Great Famine of 1840s Ireland and the immigrations that followed. Winner of many awards and accolades, these are all time classics in historical fiction for children. Join siblings Eily, Michael, and Peggy on their incredible journey as they overcome tragedy, famine, and poverty to make their way in a dangerous new world.

‘ Beautiful and moving…
historically true and fictionally vivid.’ Sunday Times
‘ Not a word, spoken or unspoken, nor an emotion, is wasted. Pace and style keep the pages turning, and you are filled with a sense of wanting more at the end. Highly recommended.’ Books Ireland
‘ Brings to a satisfying conclusion one of the undoubted achievements of contemporary Irish children’s literature.’ Children’s Books in Ireland
‘ Three novels which, in my opinion, must be counted among the very highest achievements of contemporary children’s writing from Ireland or elsewhere.’ Robert Dunbar

The Blue Horse

A remarkable story of growing up in extraordinary circumstances that will touch the hearts of all readers. Katie’s whole world is turned upside down when her family’s home is destroyed by fire. Everything they had is gone, and instead of pulling together it seems as though her family is falling apart. They move to a new house, to a school where nobody wants to know her, and Katie wonders just how many changes she can take. In her fight for acceptance and to keep the family together, she learns a lot about herself.

No Goodbye

It’s hard to pretend that everything is normal when your whole life has been turned upside down! ‘She’s gone!’ The letter said she needed time to be herself again. But what does that mean? Greg and Lucy, at fourteen and twelve, act cool and responsible when their mother leaves. Six year old Grace is just bewildered. Conor, a troubled ten year old, takes drastic action to show how he feels. And behind it all there is hope, and the beginnings of a plan to bring their mother back.

Safe Harbour

Sophie and Hugh are left homeless when their house is bombed during the London Blitz. Their mother is seriously injured and their Dad is away fighting, so the children are sent to their grandfather in Ireland. Sophie is scared they have never met grandfather but his letters cause such trouble in the house, and their Dad never speaks of him. How will they live in a strange country, with a man who probably hates them and will the family ever be together again?

In Deep Dark Wood

The mysterious arrival of Bella Blackwell, ‘The Bird Woman’, to the village of Ballyglen disturbs the peace and quiet of the Murphy household next door. Granny Rose is suspicious of Bella, and Rory doesn’t trust her, but ten year old Mia falls under the old woman’s spell. Bella tells Mia of a faraway place, a world where dragons and giants and ancient magic still exists, and asks Mia to become her apprentice and learn the old ways. One dark night Mia disappears and Rory, determined to find his sister, follows her to a world he does not believe in. Riding the ‘Shadow Hound’, he journeys to a strange land of legendary creatures and terrible dangers. Bella uses all her powers to prevent the brother and sister finding each other, but Rory begins a brave quest to rescue his sister, break the strange enchantment that Bella has over her and find a way home.

The Magdalen

The wide open spaces of Connemara, filled with nothing but sea and sky, are all lost to Esther Doyle when she is betrayed by her lover, Conor. Rejected by her family, she is sent to join the ‘fallen women’ of the Holy Saints Convent in Dublin where, behind high granite walls, she works in the infamous Magdalen laundry while she awaits the birth of her baby. At the mercy of nuns, and working mostly in silence alongside the other ‘Maggies,’ Esther spends her days in the steamy, sweatshop atmosphere of the laundry. It is a grim existence, but Esther has little choice the convent is her only refuge, and its orphanage will provide shelter for her newborn child. Yet despite the harsh reality of her life, Esther gains support from this isolated community of women. Learning through the experiences and the mistakes of the other ‘Maggies,’ she begins to recognize her own strengths and determination to survive. She recognizes, too, that it will take every ounce of courage to realize her dream of a new life for her and her child beyond they grey walls of the Holy Saints Convent.

Promised Land

Inheritance changes everything as Ella Kennedy soon discovers when her father dies and the farm she grew up on is no longer hers. Exiled to the city, Ella is forced to make a new life for herself, but all the while hoping she will be able to return to her old home, and the man she left behind.

The Very Last Unicorn

Befriending a unicorn in his yard, young Sam learns that it is the very last in the world and desperately needs a safe place to live, and in the days that follow, Sam finds a special place for the unicorn to stay.