17 Martin Street | TheBookSeekers

17 Martin Street


No. of pages 208

Published: 2012

Great for age 9-18 years

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A web of secrets can risk lives When Hettys family move to Martin Street near Portobello bridge in Dublin, theyre not sure of their welcome. And next door, Bens family are not sure about their new Jewish neighbours: its The Emergency and they are suspicious of strangers. But for Ben, the chance to earn a few pence is too great and secretly he does odd jobs for them. And theres a bigger secret: Renata, a World War Two refugee, is on the run in the city. Hetty is determined to rescue her. The web of secrets begins to unravel and there are lives at risk. Can Hetty and Ben overcome their differences and save Renata, or are they just meddling in things they know too little about?

 

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book has been graded for interest at 10 years.

There are 208 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2012 by O'Brien Press Ltd .

Marilyn Taylor was born and educated in England, and has an economics degree from London University. She was a school librarian in a Dublin secondary school for 16 years and a college librarian. Her first novels for young adults were the Jackie and Kev trilogy, Could This Be Love, I Wondered? (1994), Could I Love a Stranger? and Call Yourself a Friend?. Faraway Home was a new departure for Marilyn, having a strong historical basis and being set in Northern Ireland during the Second World War. It won the prestigious Bisto Book of the Year Award and was followed by 17 Martin Street, set in Dublin during The Emergency (as the Second World War was knows in Ireland). Both have been hugely popular with schools throughout Ireland and beyond.

 

This book has been nominated for the following award:

Bisto Book Award - Book Of the Year
This book was recognised in the Book of the Year category by the Bisto Book Award.

'The period detail and sense of place is lovingly recreated . . . utterly authentic'

-- INIS Magazine

 

'a brilliant addition to this award-winning author's study of the great Jewish catastrophe, the Holocaust, seen through the realities of life in Ireland'

-- The Jewish Press Magazine

 

'a thrilling read for kids aged 10-plus'

-- Clare People

 

'Marilyn Taylor has made good use of her own Irish-Jewish insight producing a novel to make teenage readers stop and think about Irish attitudes towards the Holocaust, to Jews and to modern newcomers to this country.'

-- Evening Echo

 

'Taylor deftly weaves a tale of misunderstandings, secrets, anxiety and mistaken identity . . .evokes the period with carefully chosen detail.'

-- The Irish Times

 

'Unflinchingly honest but radiating a belief in basic human decency, [Marilyn Taylor's books] make for an illuminating read for adults and kids alike.'

-- Irish Independent

 

'It is an engaging, historically accurate tale which is set only a few streets away from the Liberties.'

-- The Libery.ie

 

'will enhance any World War II historical fiction collection'

-- School Librarian's Magazine

 

'The period detail and sense of place is lovingly recreated . . . utterly authentic'

-- INIS Magazine, Winter 2008

 

'historically accurate and moving story.'

-- CBI's Bookfest Recommended Reading Guide

 

'Taylor deftly weaves a tale of misunderstandings, secrets, anxiety and mistaken identity . . .evokes the period with carefully chosen detail.'

-- The Irish Times

 

'In its treatment of the threat of deportation and ethnic loyalty and prejudice, it touches in a gentle humane way on themes that are still very relevant today.'

-- Sunday Independent

 

'Marilyn Taylor has made good use of her own Irish-Jewish insight producing a novel to make teenage readers stop and think about Irish attitudes towards the Holocaust, to Jews and to modern newcomers to this country.'

-- Evening Echo

 

'an interesting library book for sixth class ... excellent historical notes'

-- InTouch Magazine

 

'written with style and realism'

-- The Irish Emigrant

 

'definitely recommended for all History students'

-- History Teacher's Association of Ireland

 

'Unflinchingly honest but radiating a belief in basic human decency, [Marilyn Taylor's books] make for an illuminating read for adults and kids alike.'

-- Irish Independent

 

'a brilliant addition to this award-winning author's study of the great Jewish catastrophe, the Holocaust, seen through the realities of life in Ireland'

-- The Jewish Press Magazine

 

'a thrilling read for kids aged 10-plus'

-- Clare People