Kitty invents a new communication system.

Mary wanders the town alone each day.

Murty loves Sundays, but Nonie suddenly can't wait for school.

Finbarr avoids one trouble only to run into more.

Caitlin embarks on a mission she will not shirk.

Clonmel, Ireland, 1981.

Outside, away from adult eyes, six children enjoy freedom in the secret life of Shelliky-Booky Land.

In these evocative tales, young readers can discover the social landscape their parents played in, while the generation who knew it firsthand can slip back into the rhythms of that special place and time.