Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Twelve-year-old Danny O'Carolan and his older sister, Kathleen, escape hunger and oppression in Ireland for the promise of a new life in America.With the threat of starvation, disease, violence, and racism on every corner, life in 1863 New York City is scarcely better for two orphans trying to find their way in the world. Danny is tempted to join the Union Army, but Kathleen insists they stay together. Unfortunately, the only work available is that of a lady's maid and a laundress. Danny gamely dons a dress in hopes of passing as a girl, but he lives for the mornings when he can escape into the city and be himself. There, he earns pennies for his dancing and singing and attracts the attention of a man who owns a theater. But he also learns that the Irish are hated not just for their faith, but because they are competing for low-wage jobs with the native-born population, including African-Americans, setting the stage for the unrest that caused the New York City draft riots. Familiar historical events are given new life through Danny's wide-eyed optimism and Kathleen's determination. And while the principals are Irish, their neighborhood boasts as diverse a population as modern Manhattan. An author's note further explains the explosive events of 1863 as the population of New York City swelled with a wave of immigrants.An exuberant dash through a pivotal year in American history. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

ALA Booklist (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

It's 1863 when 12-year-old Danny and his 16-year-old sister, Kathleen, arrive in New York City penniless. The only job Kathleen can find is in domestic servitude, but there's a catch: there's no spot for a boy, so they dress up Danny as Kathleen's sister. Danny struggles with all of it, especially once his eyes are opened to the many hardships of being female in the mid-nineteenth century. In one of the few moments out on the streets as himself, he's noticed for his dancing and his pure, golden voice. Could it be their ticket out of this hardscrabble existence? Textured and well-researched, Parry's latest historical novel brings to life New York City during the peak of the Civil War, particularly the tensions between the Irish immigrants and freedmen, as well as the looming draft riots. For Danny and Kathleen, there are no easy choices, but for every prejudiced, small-minded person they encounter, there seems to be another willing to sacrifice something of themselves for others. Nuanced and resonant for today's readers.

Horn Book (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Destitute, orphaned Danny and Kathleen O'Carolan emigrate from Ireland to New York City during the Civil War. To stay together, older sibling Kathleen forces twelve-year-old Danny to pose as a girl so he can avoid being conscripted into the army and the two can get jobs as housemaids. A strong sense of time and place carries this novel through to its optimistic denouement.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Twelve-year-old Danny O'Carolan and his older sister, Kathleen, escape hunger and oppression in Ireland for the promise of a new life in America.With the threat of starvation, disease, violence, and racism on every corner, life in 1863 New York City is scarcely better for two orphans trying to find their way in the world. Danny is tempted to join the Union Army, but Kathleen insists they stay together. Unfortunately, the only work available is that of a lady's maid and a laundress. Danny gamely dons a dress in hopes of passing as a girl, but he lives for the mornings when he can escape into the city and be himself. There, he earns pennies for his dancing and singing and attracts the attention of a man who owns a theater. But he also learns that the Irish are hated not just for their faith, but because they are competing for low-wage jobs with the native-born population, including African-Americans, setting the stage for the unrest that caused the New York City draft riots. Familiar historical events are given new life through Danny's wide-eyed optimism and Kathleen's determination. And while the principals are Irish, their neighborhood boasts as diverse a population as modern Manhattan. An author's note further explains the explosive events of 1863 as the population of New York City swelled with a wave of immigrants.An exuberant dash through a pivotal year in American history. (Historical fiction. 10-14)