by JoanO'Neill (Author)
In 1950s Ireland, Sixteen year old Stella's innocent childhood is shattered when charismatic Charlie comes into her life. Where Stella's family struggle to make ends meet, Charlie can have anything he wants, and that includes Stella, who is rapidly falling for him. Then Stella discovers she is pregnant. Suddenly Charlie is gone, and Stella is left with only the bracelet he gave her. Stella's devoutly religious mother, horrifed by the scandal, sends her errant daughter to a Magdalene Laundry convent, miles from home, where in return for daily and rigorous and endless chores, Stella will be able to have her baby in secret. The convent is bleak and austere, the nuns themselves cruel and lacking compassion. When Stella's baby girl is born, it will be taken from her for adoption, the only answer is to run away with her child. But Stella didn't expect the struggle and pain of being a single mother - with her family turning against her, who can she rely on for help. Out of the blue, comes support and love from an unexpected quarter, to finally make Stella's story a happy one.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: 17 Mar 2005
ISBN 10: 0340881798
ISBN 13: 9780340881798
Children’s book age: 9-11 Years
Book Overview: A haunting evocative period novel based on the infamous Magdalene Laundry girls in 1950s Ireland, from the popular author of the Daisy Chain sequence.
Daisy Chain War:
'A wonderful book about growing up ... beautifully written in prose that is warm as a sunset on a hot summer's day.'