Greener Grass: The Famine Years
Encyclopedia
Greener Grass, published in 2009, is the second novel of Canadian
author Caroline Pignat
. The story revolves around a 14-year-old girl, Kit Byrne, living during the Great Famine of 1847 in Ireland
. The Byrne family faces imminent eviction when their landlord, Lord Fraser, wants to repossess their land. He attempts to drive them out by raising the rent and having his estate manager, Lynch, set fires in the surrounding area. Kit works as a kitchen maid in the main house, but when she loses her job her mother is forced to sell precious family heirlooms and furniture. With her father dead, she must fight for survival and help her ailing mother and siblings escape Ireland for good.
This story is a glimpse into the tragic events of the Great Hunger, the famine that devastated Ireland, forcing thousands of impoverished families to seek better livelihoods outside of their homeland.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
author Caroline Pignat
Caroline Pignat
Caroline Pignat is an Irish Canadian author and English teacher.Pignat a graduate of Ottawa University. Her work has been published in magazines, including Highlights for Children, Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr., Storyteller, Guideposts, Guideposts for Kids, Living Faith for Kids, Capital Parent, The...
. The story revolves around a 14-year-old girl, Kit Byrne, living during the Great Famine of 1847 in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The Byrne family faces imminent eviction when their landlord, Lord Fraser, wants to repossess their land. He attempts to drive them out by raising the rent and having his estate manager, Lynch, set fires in the surrounding area. Kit works as a kitchen maid in the main house, but when she loses her job her mother is forced to sell precious family heirlooms and furniture. With her father dead, she must fight for survival and help her ailing mother and siblings escape Ireland for good.
This story is a glimpse into the tragic events of the Great Hunger, the famine that devastated Ireland, forcing thousands of impoverished families to seek better livelihoods outside of their homeland.
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Governor General's Literary Award | 2009 | Won |
| CLA Children's Book of the Year Award | 2009 | Shortlist |
| Geoffrey Bilson Award Geoffrey Bilson Award The Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young Readers is a Canadian literary award that goes to the best work of historical fiction written for youth each year... for Historical Fiction |
2009 | Finalist |
| Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Awards | 2010 | Shortlist |
| Red Maple Book Award | 2010 | Nominated |