In The Shadow of the Oak

"Don't judge a book by its cover" is usually good advice. Although Irish author Jack Scoltock's In the Shadow of the Oak fits comfortably in the juvenile genre, the book is also an unusually interesting historical story for adults.

When Eamon Miller, eldest son of Paddy and Mary, announces his intention to emigrate from Ireland to the United States with his pregnant wife, Paddy becomes enraged. Why would his son want to leave the security of the family's small cottage for a far away and unknown country? Things could be worse, he points out forebodingly. They could be living in the Workhouse. But Eamon argues that the cottage is not their own. It belongs to Charles McConnell, a tyrannical landlord, and the Miller's only farm the land for potatoes in exchange for shelter. A heated argument ensues, and Eamon leaves for the US without a goodbye from his father. Responsibility to maintain the land then falls heavily upon the shoulders of Eamon's younger brother, 12-year-old Jake Miller. It is through his young eyes that the story is told.

Soon after Eamon's departure, Paddy is injured and unable to work. Determined to fill his shoes, young Jake toils hard. After a long, wet day of working the muddy fields, Jake returns to the cottage for his dinner of potato gruel, but before he can consume even a spoonful, landlord McDonnell bursts into the cottage and throws the family out in the rain. Paddy's stubborn pride prevents him from going to friends for help, and the family seeks shelter for the night beneath a tree. In the morning, they are robbed of their savings on a journey to the nearby town of Derry. Wet, starving and penniless, they turn to the streets to beg for money.

The Millers are not alone. It's 1871, and this story is being repeated all over Ireland. Destitute and homeless families are everywhere, Derry included. Many locals are forced to emigrate or endure the terror of the dreaded Derry Workhouse - a poorhouse for the homeless where extreme hard work, cruelty and death are the norm. Downtrodden, exhausted, hungry, and lice infested, the Miller Family become inmates of the Workhouse. Separated from one another and subjected to brutality from a sadistic Matron and a maniacal Headmaster, the family barely endures.

In the Shadow of the Oak is a painfully realistic depiction of late 19th century Ireland. Despite deplorable conditions of illness, abuse and unimaginable horrors in the Punishment Room, Jake somehow finds strength and resiliency in the experience. His determination to survive combined with his courage to speak out against intolerance elevates him to leadership among the other young inmates. This is a story of friendship, courage, pride and the strength of family bonds. It follows Eamon's successful rise in the United States while, conversely, chronicling the demise of Paddy and Mary Miller in Ireland.

Scoltock's inspiration for this book had its origin in a true, shocking event in Derry. In 1988, a construction company began digging near the local Derry Workhouse, close to where Scoltock had grown up, and bones were discovered. Initially, the builder's intention was to cover the area in concrete and say nothing about it, Scoltock explains. But a local historian successfully appealed to the town council to get the work stopped.

"Thank God they did," said Scoltock. "When the grounds of the graveyard of the workhouse were dug up, they discovered thousands of bones. Many were of children. The end result was that ten huge boxes of bones were interred in our local cemetery by the two Bishops of Derry (Protestant and Catholic)."

One year after the discovery, Scoltock wrote a play called, "Hope in the Derry Workhouse." It was performed in a local Playhouse for 7 nights to packed houses. Later, Scoltock used the play as a basis for his story, In the Shadow of the Oak. "Shadow," in this context, refers to the Workhouse, and the word "Oak" means Derry, or Doire, the Irish word for a grove of oaks.

Though readers may notice similarities between the author and the main character, Jake, Scoltock denies there are any parallels between them. "Jake in the story is my grandson. He is a fighter, a gutsy wee boy."

So, just as Eamon Miller emigrated to the United States in his fictional account, Scoltock's books now embark on their own emigration. If the trip is successful, American readers will soon be joining the adventure.

LAURA ESPER is a writer, mother, substitute teacher and book collector. A former reporter for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and editor of BRAVO newsletter, she enjoys historical reporting and inspiring students with her passion for writing. An avid Red Sox fan, she makes her home with her husband, two children and two cats in Hubbardston, Massachusetts.

Though many of Scoltock's books are of recent vintage, resale prices are consistently strong. Used, in-print copies hover only slightly below prices for new copies, and OOP titles often sell for $20, $30 or more - a somewhat unusual phenomenon for trade paperbacks less than 10 years old. Note also that some titles currently aren't available in US venues or require 1 to 2 months for delivery.

Partial Bibliography

Badger, Beano and the Magic Mushroom
Jeremy's Adventure
Justine's Secret Challenge
Magic Harp, The: A Badger, Beano Adventure
Magic Sword, The: A Badger, Beano Adventure
Midnight Mission
Quest of the Royal Twins
Sand Clocker, The: Spanish Armada Stowaway
Seek the Enchanted Antlers
Sense of Survival, A
We've Found A Cannon
We Own Laurentic