Hope against Hope by Sheena Wilkinson In Children's Literature
It's 1921. Ireland has been at war with Britain for two years. When Polly's brother Leo returns from war, it's like he's turned into a different person. After he turns violent, Polly runs away to Helen's Hope hostel in Belfast, where Catholic and Protestant girls live and work together while around them Ireland is at war with itself. But some people hate Helen's Hope because of what it stands for. How can a few girls stand up to hatred -- when some of it comes from within their own walls? And when the hostel is violently attached, how can Polly keep hope alive?
"Ideal for thoughtful teenage readers and adults alike"
-- Sarah Webb * The Irish Independent *"Wilkinson effortlessly weaves an emotive tale set in a tumultuous time, a skill which makes her latest novel for teens stand out from the crowd."
-- Denise O'Donoghue * Irish Examiner *"The school story appreciation also enables an historically accurate framework for contemplating alternative sexual orientations...It’s an incredibly satisfying treatment of the topic, one of many “issues” touched upon in a moving, clever novel that expertly depicts how the big political concerns of the day impact on individual lives."
-- Claire Hennessy * The Irish Times *"Set in a women's hostel in a newly-partitioned island, Wilkinson again presents motivated believable female characters in entirely convincing historical conditions, taking control of their own lives and impacting on others'. The writer is an Arts Council Major Artist and has a formidable narrative gift and an acute sense of historical justice."
* Belfast Telegraph *
"Stands out for its empathetic exploration of living through a watershed historical moment."
* Publishers Weekly *"Give to readers who love historical fiction and are eager for an engaging story."
* School Library Journal *
"Entertaining, vivid, and sympathetic."
* Kirkus Reviews *"Exceptionally well written with a thoroughly young reader friendly treatment of such sensitive issues as war, discrimination, hatred, survival and reconciliation, "Hope Against Hope" by Irish author Sheena Wilkinson is especially and unreservedly recommended as an addition to elementary school, middle school, and community library historical fiction collections for children ages 10-14."
* Midwest Book Review-Children's Bookwatch *Sheena Wilkinson is one of Ireland’s most acclaimed writers of fiction for young people. Star by Star (Little Island, 2017) was selected as a BookTrust Future Classic in 2018 and won the Honour Award for Fiction at the Children's Books Ireland awards 2018. Grounded (Little Island, 2012) won the Book of the Year and Children's Choice awards at the Children's Books Ireland awards 2013. A recipient of special bursaries from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for the development of her writing, Sheena is now a full time author and writing teacher. Her books have also won awards from the Reading Association of Ireland and have been placed on the IBBY Honour List.
Sheena lives in County Down in Northern Ireland, where she spends her time writing, singing, and walking in the forest thinking up more stories.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781912417421 |
| ISBN 10 | 1912417421 |
| Title | Hope against Hope |
| Author | Sheena Wilkinson In Children's Literature |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Little Island |
| Year published | 2020-03-05 |
| Number of pages | 240 |
| Prizes | Winner of Children's Book Council – Notable Social Studies Trade Book Award 2024, Short-listed for An Post Irish Book Awards: Dept 51 @ Eason Teen and Young Adult Book of the Year 2020, Short-listed for KPMG Children's Books Ireland Awards 2021 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |