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Red Butterfly
A young orphaned girl in modern-day China discovers the meaning of family in this “heartbreaking, heartwarming, and impressive debut” ( Publishers Weekly , starred review) told in verse, in the tradition of Inside Out and Back Again and Sold .
Kara never met her birth mother. Abandoned as an infant, she was taken in by an American woman living in China. Now eleven, Kara spends most of her time in their apartment, wondering why she and Mama cannot leave the city of Tianjin and go live with Daddy in Montana. Mama tells Kara to be content with what she has…but what if Kara secretly wants more?
Told in lyrical, moving verse, Red Butterfly is the story of a girl learning to trust her own voice, discovering that love and family are limitless, and finding the wings she needs to reach new heights.
Kara never met her birth mother. Abandoned as an infant, she was taken in by an American woman living in China. Now eleven, Kara spends most of her time in their apartment, wondering why she and Mama cannot leave the city of Tianjin and go live with Daddy in Montana. Mama tells Kara to be content with what she has…but what if Kara secretly wants more?
Told in lyrical, moving verse, Red Butterfly is the story of a girl learning to trust her own voice, discovering that love and family are limitless, and finding the wings she needs to reach new heights.
400 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2015
18 people are currently reading
2061 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Sonnichsen
3 books60 followersI'm a Hong Kong raised mom of five who loves all things Asian. My middle grade novel in verse, RED BUTTERFLY, about a Chinese orphan raised in isolation by an American foster mother, is due out from Simon & Schuster BFYR in Feb., 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
May 2, 2016
I knew, long before I made it to the Author's Note at the back of this book, that the writer had either lived in China or traveled there extensively. Ms. Sonnichsen so aptly portrays the experience that is China, and is quite authentic in her approach of international adoption as well.
We are the proud parents of one biological son and two adopted daughters, originally from China. We've also experienced the heartbreak of having lost the file of another long-pursued child. This book, at times, made me cringe with a hint of pain that, unexpectedly, still remains in my heart of the ones who "got away," made me want to celebrate the ones who didn't, and also reminds me how important it is to advocate for adoption.
Raising children in general is challenging and rewarding, but no matter what else we do on this planet, it's unlikely that anything else will be as important as our decision to adopt two daughters and change the trajectories of all of our lives forever.
This book doesn't sugar coat a thing, and it's an honest story of international adoption that rings true and celebrates what happens when a family finds their child and a child finds his or her family. Painful, magical, and lovely.
We are the proud parents of one biological son and two adopted daughters, originally from China. We've also experienced the heartbreak of having lost the file of another long-pursued child. This book, at times, made me cringe with a hint of pain that, unexpectedly, still remains in my heart of the ones who "got away," made me want to celebrate the ones who didn't, and also reminds me how important it is to advocate for adoption.
Raising children in general is challenging and rewarding, but no matter what else we do on this planet, it's unlikely that anything else will be as important as our decision to adopt two daughters and change the trajectories of all of our lives forever.
This book doesn't sugar coat a thing, and it's an honest story of international adoption that rings true and celebrates what happens when a family finds their child and a child finds his or her family. Painful, magical, and lovely.
March 15, 2015
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway...thank you.
This is one of the most wonderful books I have read and it's the first time I have read a book that's written entirely in verse. The story is tender, compelling, and heartfelt. You can tell that the story was written with love resulting in an absolutely beautiful story. The illustrations a delightful added bonus to this amazing book. I highly recommend this book to anyone in search of a story that will grab you at the first page and hold onto you even when the last page is read.
This is one of the most wonderful books I have read and it's the first time I have read a book that's written entirely in verse. The story is tender, compelling, and heartfelt. You can tell that the story was written with love resulting in an absolutely beautiful story. The illustrations a delightful added bonus to this amazing book. I highly recommend this book to anyone in search of a story that will grab you at the first page and hold onto you even when the last page is read.
November 11, 2014
This is my book, so of course I love it!
August 22, 2014
My thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers & Edelweiss
Point of View: Single (Kara)
Writing: First Person | Present Tense
Setting: China/America
Genre: Middle Grade | Contemporary/Verse
A heartfelt story about an eleven-year old Chinese girl and her yearning desire for a place to call home.
This beautiful book was divided into three equally emotional parts which all made me tear up for different reasons. Normally I don't like reading verse novels because I rarely come across ones that I'm able to truly connect with the stories or the characters. This book, though, made me fall in love with it since page one. I loved the emotional scenes, the sweet moments and the message it conveyed. I wish part three had been a little longer because it felt like it moved a little too fast.
Kara was one great character, and I really loved her. Her insecurity because she was born with one deformed hand broke my heart, especially when I wanted to hug her and tell her she was beautiful because she really was, one useless hand or not. I was glad that The ending was more beautifully wrapped up than I could have asked for.
All in all, it was quite a fantastic, fast-paced and heart-warming verse novel about family. I enjoyed reading it so much.
August 3, 2017
Lovely heartfelt book . Easily read in verse that would appeal to middle grade or adults. The mild suspense of the story pulled me through the book in one day I have read many books that are set in China over the years but I believe that this one would be near the top of the list of my favorites. One of those books that you want to pass on to others .
May 5, 2014
A beautiful story of family, government bureaucracy, and childhood, told in a spare, elegant free verse.
March 14, 2015
A novel in verse -- beautifully done, and another good example of building suspense. First you want to know why Kara's mother doesn't go outside, and then you keep turning the pages to find out which family is family for Kara. Also liked the confusion about identity: chinese but American inside.
March 6, 2015
Richie’s Picks: RED BUTTERFLY by A.L. Sonnichsen, Simon & Schuster, February 2015, 400p., ISBN: 978-1-4814-1109-7
“I don’t know where I am.
I don’t want to stand in the
doorway of this room
and let everyone stare at me.
Where do I go?
I whisper to Miss Li.
There are kids everywhere,
but they all seem to have problems--
they sit in wheelchairs
or lie on the floor mats,
their bodies twisted.
The room is filled
with the sound of funny breathing
and the faint murmur
of tinkling music
from a small CD player
plugged into the wall.
There are whispers, too,
always whispers
from the kids who sit
around the table.
One girl taps her pencil
in time to the music
while she watches me.
This is your room,
Miss Li says.
You sleep here
and study here
and go to the cafeteria
for meals.
I don’t see any beds,
only brightly colored floor mats.
Everyone watches
and I begin to wonder
if they’re waiting for me to cry.”
Kara was born with a misshapen hand and abandoned by her biological mother at birth. Undoubtedly this abandonment was a result of the strict family planning laws in China that limit most urban families to one child and most rural families to two children. China is not a great place to be born a disabled girl.
Infant Kara was taken in by an elderly American woman who was visiting China with her husband. The woman chose to stay behind in the city of Tianjin with Kara, raising the child in a rented apartment, while her husband returned alone to Montana.
Now more than a decade has passed. Kara has never attended school. Educated by her de-facto American mother, English is the only language she speaks fluently. She goes out riding her red bike and doing errands while Mom, whose visa ran out a long time ago, hides in their apartment.
Kara’s American mom has a grown daughter named Jody. During a visit to see her mother in Tianjin, Jody experiences a medical crisis and in the resulting chaos Mom’s house of cards comes tumbling down. Mom’s deported to America and Kara is sent to a charitable institution for children with disabilities and listed for adoption.
One thing I especially like about RED BUTTERFLY is the way that the author brings to life the individual kids Kara meets in the institution. No doubt the Schneider Family Award committee will be interested in this one.
The China family planning laws that relate to this story make for an interesting background. Over the past half century, the world’s total population has surged from three-plus billion people to seven-plus billion. There is clearly a limit to the human population that can be supported by Mother Earth. Given the current state of the planet, with widespread environmental degradation, a race to exploit non-renewable resources, and the disappearance or near-extinction of so many species, population control is an important issue for debate. RED BUTTERFLY shows an ugly side of the way that China’s population laws lead to problems and ethical issues.
But what makes RED BUTTERFLY special is the way that author A.L. Sonnichsen portrays the spirited tween Kara. Physically hampered by her malformed hand, abandoned by her birth mother, raised in a bizarre fashion by her de facto mother, and institutionalized, Kara has never stopped dreaming. Where will she find her true home?
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/richie.parti...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
“I don’t know where I am.
I don’t want to stand in the
doorway of this room
and let everyone stare at me.
Where do I go?
I whisper to Miss Li.
There are kids everywhere,
but they all seem to have problems--
they sit in wheelchairs
or lie on the floor mats,
their bodies twisted.
The room is filled
with the sound of funny breathing
and the faint murmur
of tinkling music
from a small CD player
plugged into the wall.
There are whispers, too,
always whispers
from the kids who sit
around the table.
One girl taps her pencil
in time to the music
while she watches me.
This is your room,
Miss Li says.
You sleep here
and study here
and go to the cafeteria
for meals.
I don’t see any beds,
only brightly colored floor mats.
Everyone watches
and I begin to wonder
if they’re waiting for me to cry.”
Kara was born with a misshapen hand and abandoned by her biological mother at birth. Undoubtedly this abandonment was a result of the strict family planning laws in China that limit most urban families to one child and most rural families to two children. China is not a great place to be born a disabled girl.
Infant Kara was taken in by an elderly American woman who was visiting China with her husband. The woman chose to stay behind in the city of Tianjin with Kara, raising the child in a rented apartment, while her husband returned alone to Montana.
Now more than a decade has passed. Kara has never attended school. Educated by her de-facto American mother, English is the only language she speaks fluently. She goes out riding her red bike and doing errands while Mom, whose visa ran out a long time ago, hides in their apartment.
Kara’s American mom has a grown daughter named Jody. During a visit to see her mother in Tianjin, Jody experiences a medical crisis and in the resulting chaos Mom’s house of cards comes tumbling down. Mom’s deported to America and Kara is sent to a charitable institution for children with disabilities and listed for adoption.
One thing I especially like about RED BUTTERFLY is the way that the author brings to life the individual kids Kara meets in the institution. No doubt the Schneider Family Award committee will be interested in this one.
The China family planning laws that relate to this story make for an interesting background. Over the past half century, the world’s total population has surged from three-plus billion people to seven-plus billion. There is clearly a limit to the human population that can be supported by Mother Earth. Given the current state of the planet, with widespread environmental degradation, a race to exploit non-renewable resources, and the disappearance or near-extinction of so many species, population control is an important issue for debate. RED BUTTERFLY shows an ugly side of the way that China’s population laws lead to problems and ethical issues.
But what makes RED BUTTERFLY special is the way that author A.L. Sonnichsen portrays the spirited tween Kara. Physically hampered by her malformed hand, abandoned by her birth mother, raised in a bizarre fashion by her de facto mother, and institutionalized, Kara has never stopped dreaming. Where will she find her true home?
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/richie.parti...
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
October 5, 2019
I didn't like how this book was written, or how the story was ended. This was not a worthwhile book, but rather a waste of time.
October 6, 2025
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2017
While I haven't read many books in the month of May, 2017, those read were stellar, including this gem. Young Kara lives sequestered in a small apartment with an older woman who rescued her. Abandoned in the streets of China, because of the one-child rule, this little girl, was left to die. With a deformity of her little hand, she is especially deemed a child not fit to pay the price of keeping a girl baby when perhaps another healthy boy could be conceived and raised in China.
We learn that the woman who rescued her is sacrificing greatly. Living near poverty, each day is a struggle. She could join her husband and daughter who live in the United States, but then, what would become of the bright, lovely Kara, like a Red Butterfly because she rapidly rides a red bike when she is left out of the house.
When the woman who rescued her writes to her husband asking for more money to live, Kara's life is in a spin when her surrogate mother's daughter makes the trek to China to see her mother. Finding this child rude and selfish, Kara longs for some sort of stability.
Alas, when discovered, Kara is taken to a home for children where again she must learn how to survive. Fortunately, a very kind social worker shows kindness, and eventually Kara is sent to the United States to live with a loving family who also have adopted other Chinese girls.
The transition is difficult for Kara. Not only learning the language and customs, but also learning to accept the unconditional love of her new parents, while longing for the woman who raised her and now lives in the United States, Kara hides food and money in the hope of taking a bus to find her surrogate mother.
Written in poetic style, this is not only excellently written, but it is heartbreaking and wonderful in redemptive qualities.
Highly Recommended.
We learn that the woman who rescued her is sacrificing greatly. Living near poverty, each day is a struggle. She could join her husband and daughter who live in the United States, but then, what would become of the bright, lovely Kara, like a Red Butterfly because she rapidly rides a red bike when she is left out of the house.
When the woman who rescued her writes to her husband asking for more money to live, Kara's life is in a spin when her surrogate mother's daughter makes the trek to China to see her mother. Finding this child rude and selfish, Kara longs for some sort of stability.
Alas, when discovered, Kara is taken to a home for children where again she must learn how to survive. Fortunately, a very kind social worker shows kindness, and eventually Kara is sent to the United States to live with a loving family who also have adopted other Chinese girls.
The transition is difficult for Kara. Not only learning the language and customs, but also learning to accept the unconditional love of her new parents, while longing for the woman who raised her and now lives in the United States, Kara hides food and money in the hope of taking a bus to find her surrogate mother.
Written in poetic style, this is not only excellently written, but it is heartbreaking and wonderful in redemptive qualities.
Highly Recommended.
August 29, 2014
I was given an e-ARC free of charge in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Edelweiss and Simon and Schuster!
I really enjoyed this book and the theme of the book and just watching Kara grow and change and deal with all of the struggles in her life.
This book is centered around family and I loved that. I don't read too many books that focus mostly on family (it is mostly based around romantic relationships or friendships). There were many friends in this book that helped Kara along in her journey though so I liked how friends were mixed in there.
This book is written in verse and I love books written in verse. It always blows my mind how such powerful messages and good stories can come from such a little amount of words. I loved how this book was executed and thought it added its nice own little touch.
I would recommend this book if you like books centered around family and friendship, diverse characters, and books written in poetry! This one doesn't come out until February of 2015 so quite some time to go but definitely mark this one down because I wouldn't want you to miss out on this great story.
I really enjoyed this book and the theme of the book and just watching Kara grow and change and deal with all of the struggles in her life.
This book is centered around family and I loved that. I don't read too many books that focus mostly on family (it is mostly based around romantic relationships or friendships). There were many friends in this book that helped Kara along in her journey though so I liked how friends were mixed in there.
This book is written in verse and I love books written in verse. It always blows my mind how such powerful messages and good stories can come from such a little amount of words. I loved how this book was executed and thought it added its nice own little touch.
I would recommend this book if you like books centered around family and friendship, diverse characters, and books written in poetry! This one doesn't come out until February of 2015 so quite some time to go but definitely mark this one down because I wouldn't want you to miss out on this great story.
May 29, 2021
The book has been written in such a beautiful way that it was impossible for me to put it down until finish it up!
The illustrations really touch my heart.
Even though it has been narrated in poetry, the narration is flawless.
The characters are really endearing. This was such an emotional read for me.
The basic themes include abandonment, neglect, acceptance, poverty and adoption.
As is being explained well through her own experiences at the end of the book, it will become clearer to the reader why this story seems so realistic!
I cried, I laughed but most of all I felt gratefulness and the kind of wholesomeness when one accepts himself or herself fully.
This book is going to stay with me forever🙂
💞 One of the best reads of the year 2019!
The illustrations really touch my heart.
Even though it has been narrated in poetry, the narration is flawless.
The characters are really endearing. This was such an emotional read for me.
The basic themes include abandonment, neglect, acceptance, poverty and adoption.
As is being explained well through her own experiences at the end of the book, it will become clearer to the reader why this story seems so realistic!
I cried, I laughed but most of all I felt gratefulness and the kind of wholesomeness when one accepts himself or herself fully.
This book is going to stay with me forever🙂
💞 One of the best reads of the year 2019!
May 25, 2014
Confession #1. I know the author personally, and find her to be a delightful human.
Confession #2. I am a 50 year old male who would otherwise never read a YA novel were it nor for Confession #1.
After full disclosure, I am happy to report that I really enjoyed Red Butterfly. The author's ability to paint a very warm and personal picture with a minimal word count was particularly impressive. I will wholeheartedly endorse and promote this book to every parent I know when it officially comes out in 2015.
Confession #2. I am a 50 year old male who would otherwise never read a YA novel were it nor for Confession #1.
After full disclosure, I am happy to report that I really enjoyed Red Butterfly. The author's ability to paint a very warm and personal picture with a minimal word count was particularly impressive. I will wholeheartedly endorse and promote this book to every parent I know when it officially comes out in 2015.
July 4, 2018
A powerful verse novel about an orphan in modern China who is born with a deformed hand. At times this lyrical story is deeply sad, but it is always informative and ultimately inspirational.
July 18, 2016
Kara is a young Chinese girl who was born with a deformed arm and abandoned as a baby. Mama, an elderly American woman, took her in. Unfortunately, Mama did not formally adopt Kara and has remained in China illegally. So Kara doesn't go to school or know Chinese very well even though she lives in one of the largest cities in China. When Mama's daughter visits from America and gets sick, things come out in the open. Mama is deported and Kara is sent to an orphanage.
At the orphanage, Kara meets many other kids like her. Kids who were abandoned as babies because they were born sick or deformed. Kara is placed up for adoption and quickly matched with a family from Florida who have already adopted two girls from China. Even though she really wants to go live with Mama in Montana, Kara is adopted by the Guernseys. At first Kara is resentful and resistant to all the efforts of her new family to make her feel at home. After some time she does settle in with her new family.
I really enjoy novels in verse even though they are not really popular at the library. I like the sparseness of the language and how so much is conveyed with so little. Kara's story is a sad one with very little hope until the very end. You do wonder about Mama's actual devotion to her and whether Kara would have been better off if she was adopted formally as a baby instead of living a life in hiding. I also questioned the adopting family as the father and brothers basically disappeared from the story once they arrived in Florida. Kara only had interactions with the mom and the two Chinese sisters. I wanted to like this more than I did.
At the orphanage, Kara meets many other kids like her. Kids who were abandoned as babies because they were born sick or deformed. Kara is placed up for adoption and quickly matched with a family from Florida who have already adopted two girls from China. Even though she really wants to go live with Mama in Montana, Kara is adopted by the Guernseys. At first Kara is resentful and resistant to all the efforts of her new family to make her feel at home. After some time she does settle in with her new family.
I really enjoy novels in verse even though they are not really popular at the library. I like the sparseness of the language and how so much is conveyed with so little. Kara's story is a sad one with very little hope until the very end. You do wonder about Mama's actual devotion to her and whether Kara would have been better off if she was adopted formally as a baby instead of living a life in hiding. I also questioned the adopting family as the father and brothers basically disappeared from the story once they arrived in Florida. Kara only had interactions with the mom and the two Chinese sisters. I wanted to like this more than I did.
March 30, 2015
This novel in verse tells the story of Kara, abandoned by her birth mother (perhaps because of her differently-formed right hand) and adopted by an American woman. Kara's life is extremely sheltered - her mama hardly ever leaves their tiny apartment, Kara is homeschooled and she always must be very careful not to share too much with their neighbors. Eventually it's revealed that Kara's mama is living in China illegally, her visa having run out years before, because she would not leave Kara behind and couldn't legally adopt her because of China's age restrictions for adoptive parents. The police deport Kara's mama and send Kara to an orphanage where Kara struggles with the uncertainty of what is going to happen to her.
Based on the author's own experiences fostering and adopting while living in China and working with Chinese orphanages, this is a unique portrayal of a young girl caught between cultures and dealing with a tough family situation. Because she has been raised by an American, Kara's sensibilities are somewhat American and she speaks English fluently but only limited Chinese. It's definitely an interesting perspective.
I'd suggest this one to kids who enjoy stories about kids dealing with tough situations, particularly foster care. The story is sad at times, but has hopeful overtones throughout.
Based on the author's own experiences fostering and adopting while living in China and working with Chinese orphanages, this is a unique portrayal of a young girl caught between cultures and dealing with a tough family situation. Because she has been raised by an American, Kara's sensibilities are somewhat American and she speaks English fluently but only limited Chinese. It's definitely an interesting perspective.
I'd suggest this one to kids who enjoy stories about kids dealing with tough situations, particularly foster care. The story is sad at times, but has hopeful overtones throughout.
April 10, 2019
"Don't worry if your new life has been tough.
Remember, it takes a while for a butterfly's wings to dry."
Every once in a while a book comes along that imprints itself in you and changes you forever. This is one of them.
A tender, tragic, relishing story of hope, isolation, adaptation, kindness, and love in a world where harsh political policies have triggered harsh choices and consequences for families and children. Though a fictional story about a young Chinese girl being raised in China as an American, it truthfully tells of ethical decisions faced by many in China since the One-Child policy was placed into effect in 1980. There are many questions about the characters that are answered with flawless timing as the story beautifully unfolds at a perfect tempo, keeping you intrigued, hopeful, and deeply moved. The Author's Note at the end of the book is powerful and added yet another layer of love and understanding to the story.
I borrowed this booked from our local library but it is one of the few that I will buy and place on my own shelf where I will see it, re-read it, and experience it again and again.
Remember, it takes a while for a butterfly's wings to dry."
Every once in a while a book comes along that imprints itself in you and changes you forever. This is one of them.
A tender, tragic, relishing story of hope, isolation, adaptation, kindness, and love in a world where harsh political policies have triggered harsh choices and consequences for families and children. Though a fictional story about a young Chinese girl being raised in China as an American, it truthfully tells of ethical decisions faced by many in China since the One-Child policy was placed into effect in 1980. There are many questions about the characters that are answered with flawless timing as the story beautifully unfolds at a perfect tempo, keeping you intrigued, hopeful, and deeply moved. The Author's Note at the end of the book is powerful and added yet another layer of love and understanding to the story.
I borrowed this booked from our local library but it is one of the few that I will buy and place on my own shelf where I will see it, re-read it, and experience it again and again.
May 17, 2015
Kara wanted a place to call Home but she was abandoned at birth So she was adopted by and american lady who found her on her door step and took her to be her child her mom was in the country illegally and they were poor and she did not have a good place to call home her father was working in the states and did not have the money to visit and she hated her sister even though she didi not live with her. Then her sister came on a visit and then while she was there she got sick and was admitted to hospital then her mom had to show her self to the people but she was in the country illegally so when the police found her they took her to jail and Kara was taken to a orphanage and another family was to take her but her family tried and tried to get a hold of her but it was hopeless. Red butterfly is about trying to find a home and loosing hope.
September 10, 2015
A book I would never of read if not for my bookclub. This book is very very sweet, and although written in verse, much much better then I anticipated.
This heartbreaking story is about an 11 year old girl with a deformed hand, that has been illegal taken in my a woman illegally in the county, heartbreak ensues. I think the best part about this book is that is is written from an 11 year old's perspective. Nothing is over-complicated, drawn out or over-analytical. Just a girl trying to navigate between different worlds and languages to find her happiness.
This heartbreaking story is about an 11 year old girl with a deformed hand, that has been illegal taken in my a woman illegally in the county, heartbreak ensues. I think the best part about this book is that is is written from an 11 year old's perspective. Nothing is over-complicated, drawn out or over-analytical. Just a girl trying to navigate between different worlds and languages to find her happiness.
June 6, 2017
A story of messy belonging and adoption, this novel in verse hits most of the right notes. There are times when there's a little too much focus on What The White Americans Are Thinking, but overall it keeps the spotlight on the main character, where it should be. The choice for verse was the right one, though the crafting itself is nothing to write home about. Overall, a good, thoughtful read. Recommended.
November 7, 2016
A 2017-2018 Missouri Mark Twain Readers Award preliminary nominee.
Red Butterfly is a middle-grade novel in verse about a handicapped Chinese girl who has been raised for most of her life by an American in China. We as the reader know that something isn't quite right with their living situation because they rarely go out.
I keep changing my rating. 3.5 stars?
Red Butterfly is a middle-grade novel in verse about a handicapped Chinese girl who has been raised for most of her life by an American in China. We as the reader know that something isn't quite right with their living situation because they rarely go out.
I keep changing my rating. 3.5 stars?
March 16, 2015
The story is well developed and the lyrical text is just beautiful. First time for me to read a novel in verse and I'm pretty sure I'm hooked. Oh, and the illustrations are just wonderful as well. Definitely recommend!
June 12, 2015
Would be good to book talk, the mystery of Kara's background and mother's behavior is a fascinating hook. The verse format makes for a very quick read.
May 7, 2015
This was a story that grabbed me and wouldn't let me stop reading.
May 29, 2015
good, but sad
August 11, 2015
I was really looking forward to this novel and it did not disappoint. Lovely. Really, truly lovely.
September 29, 2015
I loved this book!
April 7, 2019
I've never been attracted to prose poetry and had imagined it might well be a bit pretentious. This book was a wonderful surprise - powerful, moving, totally engrossing- a really stunning book.
Read
December 10, 2023
Trigger & Content Warnings
Death of a newborn
Death of a pet bird
Death of a newborn
Death of a pet bird
Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews