by Gloria Whelan
I bought this book in paperback many years ago to read aloud to the children, but never got around to it. Recently, I found a copy in my Audible account and decided we'd listen to it in the van when the older one or two were not with us. (All together, at the moment, we are listening to Peter Duck.)
In this book set in the 1730s, Irish youth gather in the hedges for school while their country is under harsh English rule. It's a good historical novel showing some of the long-standing antagonism between England and Ireland. All the Irish in the novel are Catholic. One young man is even traveling to France to become a priest and return in secret to Ireland.
I enjoy sharing stories with my children that emphasize the value of education. Not only do the teacher and children sit outside in the cold and rain to do their lessons, they and their families are breaking the English law. They must keep even their ability to read and write a secret. And yet they study not just Irish and English, but Latin. The main character loves reading and reciting the Latin he learns.
My children enjoyed listening to the sometimes foolish risks of Padraic as he secretly plotted against the local English lords, but my daughter often worried about him when we had to stop while he was not yet in the clear. Because it was an audiobook, she would have to wait until our next time in the van to hear how he escaped the danger.
I'm sure this is a lovely book on its own, but I particularly enjoyed listening to the narrator. He provided a wonderful voice for Padraic.
I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased the paperback version of the book from the publisher, Bethlehem Books, and the audiobook from Audible, an Amazon company. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.
