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4.68 AVERAGE
4.68 AVERAGE
Incredible book. Believable and heartbreaking.
A heartbreakingly beautiful book.
2021 YMA John Newbery honor and Odyssey honor
2021 YMA John Newbery honor and Odyssey honor
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
challenging
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is one of my new favorite authors. I will read anything she writes. The War That Saved My Life and its sequel were two of my very favorite books last year. And this one, though different, is equally as good. I knew that Ms. Bradley must’ve suffered some sort of trauma in order to be able to understand abuse and portray it so well. In the note after this book, I found out this was true. I am so sad for her, but her pain has made her a deeply empathetic writer.
In this book, the young protagonist faces homelessness, an incarcerated mother who suffered from addiction and a severe lack of parenting skills, foster care, sexual abuse, an attempted suicide by her beloved sister, and bullying and abuse at school. Those are some pretty weighty topics. They are handled deftly and with care. I think students who read this book will come away with a better understanding of other’s lives, and they will also have tools that they could use so that they are never taken advantage of. My favorite scene was when all the girls in the class stand up against a boy who has been sexually harassing them. It was very powerful.
As difficult as this book was at times, it was beautifully written and I loved this funky protagonist. This book will be one of my favorites this year. And I hope for more books by this author soon.
In this book, the young protagonist faces homelessness, an incarcerated mother who suffered from addiction and a severe lack of parenting skills, foster care, sexual abuse, an attempted suicide by her beloved sister, and bullying and abuse at school. Those are some pretty weighty topics. They are handled deftly and with care. I think students who read this book will come away with a better understanding of other’s lives, and they will also have tools that they could use so that they are never taken advantage of. My favorite scene was when all the girls in the class stand up against a boy who has been sexually harassing them. It was very powerful.
As difficult as this book was at times, it was beautifully written and I loved this funky protagonist. This book will be one of my favorites this year. And I hope for more books by this author soon.
This book is an excellent read on the tough subject of child sexual abuse. The author does a great job of exploring and sharing all that kids go through physically, mentally and emotionally when dealing with this type of abuse.
Amazing! The topic is hard, yes, but the author’s structure gives the child reader warnings and permission to take a breather from the story or press forward. Della’s voice is unique, grabbing the reader from the first page and not letting go. The descriptions in the book are never gratuitous and the emotional and plot arcs are beautifully woven and realistic. I absolutely loved Francine who is never a cliched adult hero but a flawed human being.
challenging
emotional
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:
Complicated
Della is ten years old, clinging to the safety of her sixteen year old sister Suki. Having escaped their abusive step father, they have now made their way into foster care and are transitioning into life at new schools. While Della has her own struggles and story of abuse, her sister's struggles are also prevalent, with severely unsupported mental health. While Suki grapples with trying to finish school and getting a job and save so that she can afford to apply for custody, she can't escape the realities of her former abuse and the impacts upon her mind. Della doesn't understand or recognize the severity of the situation until all the pieces fall into place during an eye awakening crisis.
This is raw and realistic and shows the struggles of a teenager responsible for their younger sibling, and how our current systems of support provide next to nothing but negligence and neglect.
This is raw and realistic and shows the struggles of a teenager responsible for their younger sibling, and how our current systems of support provide next to nothing but negligence and neglect.
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Narrated by the 10 year old, tender, trauma, and recovery.