A Swift Pure Cry
by Siobhan Dowd
Interest age: 12 to 15
Reading age: 12+
Published by Random House, 2015
About this book
This debut novel is set against a backdrop of 1980s Ireland and a community dominated by the Catholic Church. Shell’s much-loved mother is dead and her father is a feckless alcoholic, which leaves her trying to care for her younger siblings virtually alone.
Shell, who is a naïve dreamer of a girl, catches the eye of local boy Declan Ronan but also feels a strong connection to the new young priest, Father Rose.
Soon Declan sets off for a new life in America, leaving the unworldly Shell pregnant and with no one to turn to in an unforgiving community. When Shell finds her mother’s old pink dress in her father’s wardrobe, she tries it on and a terrible sequence of events unfolds.
Loosely based on the real life case of the Kerry babies, powerful imagery and lyrical prose is woven throughout this unforgettable, outstanding and ultimately hopeful novel.
About the author
More books like this
-
Bog Child
by Siobhan Dowd
9 to 14 years
-
The Guggenheim Mystery
by Robin Stevens and Siobhan Dowd
9 to 14 years
-
The Pavee and the Buffer Girl
by Siobhan Dowd, illustrated by Emma Shoard
9 to 14 years
-
The London Eye Mystery
by Siobhan Dowd
9 to 14 years
Lists of recommended reads
-
St Patrick’s Day books for older children (9+)
Why not ring in St Patrick's Day this year by adding these books to your reading list? Our St Patrick's Day booklist featuring titles about or set in the Emerald Isle features a range of books - from tales of time travel, magic, witches, natural disasters and mythical worlds to both funny and hard-hitting books about contemporary Ireland and short stories too. We've picked out these titles for slightly older readers which could make you see Ireland in a whole new light... so which one will you be sampling first on 17 March?
-
Best books for teens (teen)
Read our list of outstanding teenage books that either won or were shortlisted for the BookTrust Teenage Prize during its running from 2003-10. With fantasy, crime, horror and coming-of-age there is definitely something here for a book loving teen.