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rmarcin's review against another edition
4.0
This is a story of a family in the late 1950s-60s, who foster children since they can't have any biological children. Ma doesn't want any girls, but does get Agnes and Zaidie. Agnes is an Indian girl that no one will adopt. Zaidie and her brother Jon come to the family because their mother died and their father had left. Ma will not leave the house due to trauma experienced when she was in high school. The way this family looks out for each other is heartwarming and the tragic circumstances that brought them all together is truly heartbreaking. I loved how they drew on each other's strength.
how1710's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book from the Moscatelli family to the storylines. I loved how the kids called her Ma. It was an emotional read but touched on so many issues and shows so many sides to fostering children.
thistlereads's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
thebakerbookworm's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I ended up liking this one a lot more than I thought I would. It starts off slow, and stays pretty slow-paced the whole time, but these characters snuck into my mind and wrapped themselves around my heart and whispered sweet things in my ear until I fell in love and couldn't stop thinking about them and only wanted them to be happy and loved.
This book doesn't hold back from the harsh realities of the foster care system, but it still manages to end on a hopeful and optimistic note, if not necessarily a "happy ending." Not everything is resolved, but it felt more realistic that way. The story doesn't shy away from the trauma that these kids have experienced, though I appreciated that the book wasn't gratuitous in its depictions of the trauma. I've listed content warnings below, but most of these things happen off page and are briefly described by characters; the details aren't dwelt on. The author does have a "show not tell" approach but instead of showing us the trauma in great detail she shows us the effect that trauma has on these kids—through a thought left unfinished, a question unanswered, a glance shared between characters, a surge of anger, a mother too scared to leave her house, a little girl climbing into her foster sister's bed to sleep every night.
I also liked how, though these kids have finally landed in a "good" foster family, they still struggle with how to think of their biological parents and what they left them. One child is half Native American, another is half Jewish, and they wrestle with relating to these cultures that seem to have left them behind. And that age-old question of nature vs. nurture is discussed as well.
Overall a story with great characters that we get to see grow up over ten years. Only reason it didn't get five stars from me was because I thought some of the time transitions could have been handled better—I got confused a few times with how old characters were supposed to be. But I will definitely remember this book.
This book doesn't hold back from the harsh realities of the foster care system, but it still manages to end on a hopeful and optimistic note, if not necessarily a "happy ending." Not everything is resolved, but it felt more realistic that way. The story doesn't shy away from the trauma that these kids have experienced, though I appreciated that the book wasn't gratuitous in its depictions of the trauma. I've listed content warnings below, but most of these things happen off page and are briefly described by characters; the details aren't dwelt on. The author does have a "show not tell" approach but instead of showing us the trauma in great detail she shows us the effect that trauma has on these kids—through a thought left unfinished, a question unanswered, a glance shared between characters, a surge of anger, a mother too scared to leave her house, a little girl climbing into her foster sister's bed to sleep every night.
I also liked how, though these kids have finally landed in a "good" foster family, they still struggle with how to think of their biological parents and what they left them. One child is half Native American, another is half Jewish, and they wrestle with relating to these cultures that seem to have left them behind. And that age-old question of nature vs. nurture is discussed as well.
Overall a story with great characters that we get to see grow up over ten years. Only reason it didn't get five stars from me was because I thought some of the time transitions could have been handled better—I got confused a few times with how old characters were supposed to be. But I will definitely remember this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse
Minor: Cursing, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicide attempt, and War
sharonrose's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars. Equal parts realistically brutal and passionately optimistic, this book delves into the life of a foster family during the late 1950-1960s, each member with their own baggage and obstacles. The story of Dahlia, Louie and their foster children Jimmy, Zaida, Jon and Agnes explores their strength, perseverance and love for one another as they each face their pasts and the darker parts of themselves over a period of ten years. It's hard to describe how much Patry Francis made me care about these characters. I felt like I got to see the kids grow up, feel hopeful when their lives made happy turns and equally crushed when things went wrong--especially with Jimmy and Dahlia. As intense as their stories were, this book was about ultimately about overcoming the weight of the past, pushing forward and finding new dreams, and fighting for the family you choose. Not a light read, but very beautiful.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy!
Spoiler Trigger Warnings:
Child abuse, discussion of attempted suicide, a survivor of a violent rape recalls her experience (it's not graphic in description, but in context its pretty brutal)
Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy!
Spoiler Trigger Warnings:
Child abuse, discussion of attempted suicide, a survivor of a violent rape recalls her experience (it's not graphic in description, but in context its pretty brutal)
readingwithcats's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tonstantweader's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
All the Children Are Home is a story about a family, foster parents Dahlia and Louie, and the four children who stayed long enough to burrow deep into their hearts, Jimmy, Zaidie, Jon, and Agnes. The first three had been there for quite some time before Agnes came along. She was supposed to be short-term but had other ideas when Children’s Services tried to get her adopted.
Those siblings come to love each other fiercely. Life isn’t easy, money is tight, and they are bullied at school, but they are loyal to each other. It’s clear to them their mother is why they are teased so much, they understand the community is against her in some way, but it is not until years have passed before we learn what happened and the children discover how brave their mother, who has always seemed cowardly, really was.
I loved All the Children Are Home. It is an affirming story about family and sibling love, even if the relationships are not biological. It is about how parents express love in what they do as well as in what they say. There’s so much to love in this story. The four siblings are a joy and though there are tragedies that separate them, we all see room for hope for a more united future. Patry Francis is very much a show, not tell, author and I love that. We are not privy to every thought and motivation, but we understand just the same because we see what people do and what they say to each other. Even though the narrative moves from one person to another, we are not given an all-access pass. That always makes a more intriguing story.
- All the Children Are Home at Harper Perennial
- Patry Francis author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2021/04/26/9780063045453/