Starry Night

Living in 'bandit' country close to the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, it seems to fifteen-year-old Kathleen is if everyone - even her friend Ann, an outsider from Belfast - knows what's going on except for her. And if the problem isn't about money or her brother Mike, off in England, or the unwanted Brits, what could it be? Kathleen is determined to find out and turns to her closest sister, Rose, unaware that it is Rose who is at the very core of an inner family conflict that is about to shatter all of Kathleen's innocent dreams - her 'starry nights'. Catherine Sefton's gentle and probing story for older readers traces the development of Kathleen into adult awareness, as she not only comes to terms with the reality of her situation, but also questions for the first time her one-sided political beliefs and social attitudes. Not without humour, Catherine Sefton also explores the deep traditions of Irish family life in a torn and divided country. The first in a trilogy for older readers which aims to show the effects of the political and social situation in Northern Ireland today on young people at crucial moments in the development of their personal lives.


Genre: Children's Fiction