A Song Called Home

by Sara Zarr

From award-winning author Sara Zarr comes a story of the small moments that show us who we are, and how family is not just something you’re part of, but something you make.

Lou and her family don’t have much, but for Lou it's enough. Mom. Her sister, Casey. Their apartment in the city. Her best friend, Beth. It would be better if Dad could stop drinking and be there for her and Casey, and if they didn't have to worry about money all the time. But Lou doesn’t need better—she only needs enough.

What’s enough for Lou, however, is not enough for Mom. Steve, Mom's boyfriend, isn’t a bad guy, he's just…not what Lou is used to. And now, he and Mom are getting married, and that means moving. Packing up life as they’ve known it and storing it in Steve’s garage. Lou will be separated from everything in her small but predictable life, farther from Dad than ever.

Their last night in the city, Lou receives a mysterious birthday A guitar, left for her by their front door. There’s nothing saying who left it, but it must be from Dad. And as she leaves the only place she’s ever known, she starts to believe that if she can learn how to play it, maybe she can bring a piece of him, and of her old life, home.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Divorce, Contemporary, Family, Addiction

Audible Audio

First published March 15, 2022

About the author

Sara Zarr is the acclaimed author of ten books, most recently Goodbye from Nowhere, and Courageous Creativity: Advice and Encouragement for the Creative Life--a book on creativity for the young and young-at-heart. She’s a National Book Award finalist and two-time Utah Book Award winner, and is the host and producer of the This Creative Life podcast. Her first book, Story of a Girl, was made into a 2017 television movie directed by Kyra Sedgwick. She lives with her husband and cat, Mr. Donut, in CA and UT.

How I use goodreads: To log books I read in a year, books I want to read, and books by authors who were on my podcast, This Creative Life. (Those also turn up on my read shelf though I haven't necessarily read them!) I don't use the rating system but I will jot some notes about the books if I remember!

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louise and and older sister Casey have a boatload of changes to deal with. Their mom is getting remarried, they are moving to the suburbs, and they have to change schools. For 5th grader Louisa (Lu) an unexpected birthday gift -- a guitar -- gives her something to hold onto. She is able to take lessons with one of her new neighbors and dreams of making the person who gave her that guitar proud. Surely it was her dad? All she needs is the right song -- right? Actually, Lu will discover that feeling at home is much more than one person or one song. I heartily recommend this book for several reasons: 1) Lu's mostly absent dad struggles with alcoholism and the book does not sugarcoat the experience. 2) Lu's family attends church regularly and look to God for help in prayer. 3) The changes are difficult, but not impossible and the four of them work together to become a "We."

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This completed the contemporary book prompt for MG March! Wow. This was such a heartbreakingly beautiful & REAL story. Loved it. This was a hard 1, but important 1 for me personally to read. I knew this book would have an effect on me, but these are emotions & memories I always push back & don’t want to feel. I’ve learned from reading other contemporary books that I related to, that it helps in a way. So I decided it might be good for me.

The dad in this book is an alcoholic. I grew up with an alcoholic stepdad(but with abusive to my mom added in). Anyway, the author does an amazing job writing everything that comes from being in that environment-very honest & very real. From friends parents not allowing them to spend the night at your house, to the constant eggshells you walk on..not know what 1 day to the next will bring..to the fear. I remember hiding under my bed when I was home alone with my older brother once when my stepdad came home drunk. My brother came & found me, took me to his room. He put me in his bed, & he slept on the floor. To the late nights, because something happens that wakes you up/keeps you up..like yelling, or him coming home drunk & loud. Like what the smell of alcohol does to you. All these years later, I can’t stand the smell of beer. It takes me right back there. The embarrassment when they make a scene in front of others, but also the protectiveness. This author nailed all of that & so much more.

This was a double hit for me, because the feelings she has like:why doesn’t my dad love me enough or want to see me….is it my fault, what could I do to make him love me, make him SEE me..I had THOSE feelings about my real dad(not an alcoholic). So very hard read, since the author captured all of these things perfectly. It’s hard for me to go back there, but I think it’s important. The author captures the emptiness these things leave in a kid, & what it can do to a kid. I also loved the honesty & very real way the author shows how a kid may choose to handle these things like the MC does. It’s not the right way at all, but life isn’t always like the Brady Bunch.

This also showed a very real portrayal of a newly blended family, & how that goes more often than not. This made the ending even more meaningful, but maybe even more importantly-BELIEVABLE. Because it shows that through all the hard times, & how hard blending families can be, that it can work out & be a great thing. So many amazing messages in here. It’s ok to cry, to ask for help, to say what you’re feeling. Also, as a kid..what your parents do or do not do is not your fault. If a parent is an alcoholic for example-that is not your fault. If a parent doesn’t see you or make time for you, that’s not your fault. All of that is on them.

I also loved the very real sister relationship in here, & seeing how different both experiences were for them-whether with their feelings about their dad, to the new stepdad & moving, etc. This also makes me want to cry happy tears, thinking of the little me’s….kids like me or the MC in this book, that will feel seen in this. Not alone. It will help so much. This came out last week, & I highly recommend. BEAUTIFUL cover front & back by Yaoyao Ma Van As too.💜

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Song Called Home is a realistic, heartrending depiction of the process of blending a family while dealing with the trauma of having an alcoholic parent. This book centers a girl who’s coming of age even as her family seems to be evolving before her eyes. Excellently written with well-drawn characters who feel familiar and relatable, this one is going to be loved by readers young and old alike. If you like books about sisters, family, community, and music, pick this up ASAP.

Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/a-song...

[Janssen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dang, she can write. 30 second review here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgVJHABlDXb/

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten-year-old Louisa must adjust to many changes in her life, after her mom remarries and her family moves away from the apartment she grew up in. The move also distances them from Louisa’s father, who had leave several years ago because of his alcoholism. She and her older sister have mixed feelings about this; they miss the Dad of occasional good days, but hate the memories he left them of many bad days.
In spite of the rather heavy subject matter, this book still gave me “warm fuzzies”. So much love in the fact that Louisa thought of she, her mom, and older sis as a special unit, a “we” of only three. Casey often pulls rank as the older sister, but her love and concern for Louisa is also evident.
As for Steve, the new husband and stepfather, I will say I think he is a real blessing to be around, (but no spoilers)!
I think anyone who has experienced separation from loved ones, and had to adjust accordingly, would really relate to this book.
Trigger Warnings:
Louisa’s alcoholic father is shown to be verbally abusive when he is drunk; teenage alcoholism is addressed; Casey attends an Alateen meeting in response to her father’s’ drunkenness.

[Sacha · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

As an incoming fan of Sara Zarr's, I had high expectations; they were exceeded.

Louisa, who has a number of nicknames, is the complex main character of this novel. Her heart is breaking, and yours will, too. When readers meet Lou, she is in the thick of some serious changes. Her parents are divorced, but her mom is now about to marry Steve, who proposed to her on the third date (!!!). As a result, Lou will be moving out of the apartment she has lived in with her mother and sister (Casey, who is an amazing inclusion and needs a book of her own) since she was a baby. On top of these major changes, Lou's dad is an alcoholic, and every adult reader will hold their breaths when this guy is mentioned let alone when he appears. He is a piece of work. Lou is in fifth grade, so her life is filled with typical drama and changes on top of the aforementioned profusion of chaos.

Lou's internal and environmental struggles are constant, engaging, and relatable for every reader who will minimally know someone who... if they have not experienced these issues themselves. Throughout the novel, Lou is on the edge, and one of the many great assets Zarr reveals is HOW Lou's emotions and struggles manifest.

Running a close second on my list of absolute favorite choices here is the cast of secondary folks. I wanted to have a serious talking to with Lou and Casey's mom, but she's also had it rough, and almost every other character makes up for some of her shortcomings.

For about the first quarter of the novel, I was sold on the notion that this was going to be a good middle grade text, but around that mark - and all the way through to the end - it really found a rightful place as EXCELLENT. Zarr masterfully packs in so many issues, including but not limited to socioeconomic struggles, housing insecurity, alcoholism, blended families, divorce, friendships, relationships, un/healthy adult/child interactions, forgiveness, and honesty, and somehow manages to maintain an engaging and never didactic tone. I remain a super fan of this author and look forward to enthusiastically recommending this one to students and beyond.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Balzer + Bray for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was blown away by this book. I know Sara Zarr usually writes for teens, but I'm not sure I can remember the last time I read kid feelings captured so perfectly on the page. I love Lu. LOVE her. That moment where she's at her class goodbye party and she realizes that her classmates will just keep on keeping on, even after she leaves? I was taken aback by all the Christian stuff, not because it was poorly done but mostly because I wasnt expecting it. I can't wait until I can share this book with kids.

[acorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deep, important, slow paced

Lou’s life is changing. She is moving in with her moms boyfriend. She is changing schools. She is learning guitar. She doesn’t know where her dad is. And she is discovering who she is.

I think the topics addresses in this story care really important!! They are well represented as well. The characters were relatable but the story felt slow paced to me. This may just be that it is meant for a younger audience (8-12) and the story doesn’t have big exciting conflict.

So, mixed thoughts but I’m glad I read it. ✌️

[Shiloh]

I'm not really sure what to rate this book. It started off pretty good (3 stars) and I was really enjoying it for the most part after (4 stars), but then I just didn't like what was being written so for a little it went down to like 2 stars... Then it sort of went back up, and the end was fulfilling, but I wish there had been more between Lu and her sister and Lu and her friend Beth. So...

But overall, I think I can say it was a good book! The prose and characters were great and I think the novel grappled with a lot of important struggles and generally had a really good message.

[Of Pens and Swords · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Song Called Home follows Lou, a fifth-grader whose Mom is getting remarried to Steve, who she's been dating for a year after having divorced Lou's father, an alcoholic, two years prior. Both she and her 15-year-old sister Casey are against this; it will mean leaving the apartment where they've lived all of their lives, leaving the city to move to the suburbs, and leaving their school and all of their friends. On her birthday, she receives a guitar that she assumes to be from her father, who she only rarely has contact with, and decides to learn to play it to impress him.

I absolutely adored this book. Lou feels real and complex and like an actual 11 year old who is just trying to cope with her entire life changing. She's sweet and loves her mom and sister and doesn't fully understand what's happening with the adults around her sometimes. She's been through a lot of trauma related to her father's alcoholism, which leads to her dissociating frequently, as well as some amount of kleptomania; while I can't speak to the representation of the dissociation, it was treated very naturally. She definitely needs some sort of therapy though, so I'd like to imagine that she gets that after the book ends.

Lou's relationships with her family members were some of the most interesting aspects of the book. She and Casey, while going through the same experience, respond to it very differently (likely largely driven by the age difference between them), and their parallel character development is done very well. Lou looks up to her sister a lot, so Casey's actions have a large impact on her own growth. Lou's relationship with her mom, while not perfect, is definitely one of the largest sources of stability in her life. Her growing relationship with Steve, her stepfather, is particularly intriguing, especially since it is very representative of her adjustment to all of the change in her life as a whole. The progression of that relationship is done very well and feels completely natural. Lou's relationship with her own father is more complicated, since, because he's only there for a couple scenes in the book, it is mostly her engaging with her idea of him, and particularly with her idea of what she wishes he were like, and over the course of the book she gradually has to come to terms with the fact that she can't force him to change and that hoping he'll become the idealized parent that she envisions in her head isn't healthy for her, which is another evolution that Zarr develops very well.

The book is primarily dealing with the idea of change; it is present in every aspect of the plot. It's a story of a young girl figuring out how to react and adapt to large changes in her life that she can't control, and learning how to adjust to a life that is significantly different from that which she's always had. As somebody who has a large fear of change myself, I empathized a lot with Lou in that aspect, and a lot of the parts that were particularly painful for her in that aspect felt painful to me too. That fear and Lou's learning how to deal with it was absolutely my favorite part of the book, and is what I believe to be the most well-written aspect of it.

Additionally, despite the book dealing with a lot of heavy topics, most notably Lou's father's alcoholism and its effects on her, it is ultimately heartwarming and uplifting.

I honestly can't think of a single bad thing to say about this book; I adored reading it. The pacing was perfect, the structure worked wonderfully, the characters were lovable, and I don't have a single complaint.

I'm giving this book an enthusiastic five stars. I would recommend A Song Called Home to anybody of any age who loves character-driven stories or just wants to read a wonderfully-written contemporary book about change. It's a poignant story of a fifth-grader learning how to cope with change and adjust to a new environment. The progression of the book feels very natural, and the reader is empathizing with and rooting for Lou every step of the way. It's about creating new families and new friendships and embracing changes that happen for the better, as well as accepting and letting go of that which you can't control; it's amazing and I can't recommend it enough.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children’s Books for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This is the kind of book that will resonate with many readers (young and older) including those who have an alcoholic parent, who have had to move to a new school and make new friends mid-term, gaining a stepparent, and growing more independent as she develops her own identity. Fifth grader Lou experiences all these things, while acknowledging a sense of loss and hope and new beginnings.

Zarr poignantly describes Lou's longing for her dad, for home, for her family to be whole. "That feeling of waiting and waiting for the next bad thing to happen and trying to be good so that it didn't. It was a feeling Lou had almost her whole life, so much that when it started to fade after Dad left, after the divorce, it seemed like something was missing." Throughout the novel Lou feels like something is missing. What makes this novel special is Lou's voice - she is so honest about her feelings that I could easily understand her longing and her fears. I'm sure these are the same feelings that many readers have about moving, changing, learning about themselves.

Zarr smoothly incorporates Lou's inner thoughts with the everyday moments of her life - visiting the neighbors, spending time with her best friend and making new friends, comparing her old and new teacher/school, getting to know her stepfather, quiet bedtime chats with her mom, her interactions with her older sister.

While many of the topics of this novel are "heavy," Zarr skillfully writes from a middle grade perspective so this book is totally appropriate for younger readers. And Lou's relationship with her older sister brings another dimension to the story that anyone with a sibling will appreciate. I enjoyed the give and take between the sisters as they both dealt with their individual emotions.

I'm an enthusiastic fan of Sara Zarr's and couldn't wait to read this book from the time I first heard about it. In the interest of full disclosure, I have known Sara since she was a fifth grader, just like Lou. I hope my five star rating encourages you to read this powerful yet sensitive story of a young girl learning about what makes a family.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really deft, lovely handling of multiple different, significant issues through the eyes of a narrator whose flaws don't outweigh her clear and sensitive perspective. Lu's relationship with her father and her feelings about her family's financial circumstances are particularly well-portrayed and complex, and the pacing of Lu's growing relationship with Steve was perfect. I did feel as if the plotlines about Lu's stealing, her feelings about God/religion, and her friendships both with Beth and Kyra might have been emotionally clearer, but there is an element of realism to the muddled feelings and tapering momentum that felt true as well. A perfect book for readers whose own lives include alcoholism, new family structure, financial struggles, or big changes, or anyone who's looking for a story that is both hard and hopeful.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

[Alison Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

These were some.........interesting models of adulthood to show to young kids.

So, um, I didn't like this one much. The basic story itself is fine, and a good one for kids who might be in a similar situation. Showing the struggles that come with divorce, a parent's substance dependency, financial strain, etc, could probably be very helpful for a kid dealing with the same issues in their own life, just to see that represented and not feel so alone. And I liked that the two sisters reacted to things differently and relevant to their ages. I also liked that Lu (she changes the spelling of her own name partway through the book) wants to learn the guitar and seems really into it, because I think most girls might feel like that's a "boy" thing, so it was cool to see her take to it.

But. YIKES. So much yikes in here. While I can extend a lot of grace to a kid Lu's age (eleven) for acting out in response to the upheaval in her life, I did not like that she basically pays zero price whatsoever for stealing so much, and that she not only lies once to her friend, but continues to lie very vehemently to her over and over. It was a little twisted, because she's loudly insisting on her innocence to her best friend. And even once the friend learns the truth, yeah she's upset with Lu for a bit, but then...just gets over it? And no one else ever finds out? Eventually at the end, Lu sneaks the stolen items back to their owners and so gets off scot-free. I mean, she stole $50 from her friend's little brother! And spent half of it, and then doesn't even return the rest, she puts it in the damn church collection plate. I did not like at all that the author does not have Lu go to the people she stole from to admit it and apologize. She also commits some random (and admittedly minor) acts of vandalism, which was just weird. Like, what was this telling kids? It's okay to steal and lie if you're sad enough?

But my biggest issue is with her mom and Steve. Finding out that Steve proposed to their mother on the THIRD DATE, because he and their pastor didn't think a "long engagement" was necessary at their ages. The fuck??? Dating is not an "engagement", it's how you find out if you want to get engaged to this person in the first place. And you simply cannot know anywhere near enough about a person after three damn dates. And then the wedding happens just a few months later, which is also sus. I got such ick vibes from Steve, considering the reason Lu's mom was so keen to marry him was because she couldn't pay the bills, so here comes this church dude to take care of it...but only if she marries him? Like, if she's your girlfriend, you can help her out with the bills. You could offer to pay the PG&E or buy groceries or whatever without putting a ring on her finger. Proposing marriage to someone you've just met and dangling the carrot of financial ease is abuser behavior, plain and simple. Making the girls leave their home and move in with some guy they barely know (and who takes forever to call Lu by the name she wants) is effed up. Plus, I never saw any evidence that Lu's mom even tried at all to change their circumstances. Get a second job, get a side hustle, maybe -- shocker -- move out of San Fran-fricking-cisco where it is insanely expensive. Even if the girls would still have been upset, I imagine it would not have been as bad as being moved into some creep ass man's home. Their mom was just like "la de dah I'm just gonna shack up with a guy I just met so he'll pay our bills" and what kind of model is that for her daughters? Or, to the author, what kind of model is that for your young readers? If a man will pay for stuff for you, you should marry him before you even know his middle name? Is this the 1700s or something?

Plus, honestly this was kind of boring. It's very slow-paced, there were whole chapters (admittedly they're short) just about like, eating breakfast and that's it. I wonder how a child in the target age range would stay engaged with it when very little actually happens. I appreciate the aim here but I really think the author missed the mark badly and in ways that I honestly find problematic and troubling.

[Phil J]

By the end of the first paragraph, it is clear that Zarr has some top-level prose skills. The writing was a joy to read. The story itself- a character has to move because her mother is remarrying- is nothing special, but I connected to it in a big way because of Zarr's use of details and emotional actions. The character's struggles and wellbeing became important to me because I was able to feel how important they were to her. By comparison, I recently read parts of The Turtle of Michigan, Falling Short, and Singing with Elephants and put them down because they just seemed predictable and unengaging.

I would love to come back and finish this book if life and time permit.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lou's parents have divorced, and her mom has just remarried Steve. They have to move across town, will have to change schools eventually, and adjust to so many new things. To complicate matters, their father is an alcoholic and unreliable. They are trying to navigate so many changes and emotions and difficult situations, and Lou and her older sister Casey aren't exactly sure how to react. They have these great neighbors that have them babysit, listen to them and begin to teach Lou to play the guitar.

This was such a good book. It wasn't always FUN to read...there are a lot of hard, complicated things...and I was about Casey's age when my mom remarried so I definitely related to many parts of the story. But it was well written. I loved the positive relationships that Lou and Casey had mixed in with the hard situations. Their mother is wonderful. Their stepdad is truly a good guy (so is mine!) Their neighbors are fantastic. Lou's teacher is great. In the midst of all the hard, it is clear to the reader that there are still many good things in Lou's life.

[Shella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite a disappointment after reading Kyra, Just for Today. Kyra is such a better protagonist and in that book I felt connected to her. Lu is unlikeable and whiny. In the other book the reader can easily connect to all the characters. I did not care for Lu in the companion novel and feel even stronger dislike now. She should have had more serious consequences for stealing and not just get to think of her own way to make it right- not facing Beth’s parents and brother was not the right message. Also her compulsion to steal was never explored enough. She should have had more empathy for Kyra’s financial situation given the backstory here. This book does not give as much connection to living with alcoholism as Kyra’s story did in spades. I’d say skip this title and read Kyra’s story.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this aloud with my daughter and loved it! It was better than any book I was reading on my own at the time. The main character is a girl with divorced parents and an alcoholic father, her mom gets remarried, they move and she changes schools. The author writes so respectfully for her audience; these are tough topics that kids all over are dealing with. The writing is honest and the characters are endearing.

It’s a book that should be in every classroom for how many kids could read it, see themselves in the story, and find comfort and (hopefully) hope. And also- just a wonderful book for anyone to read for fun.

[eve.lyn._.reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't a bad book. I can see why a lot of people loved it. I just didn't enjoy the fact that Lou (Lu) doesn't face a lot of consequences for her actions such as stealing, lying, etc. The ending felt rather inconclusive and there was just so much more I wanted from the story. Still, I loved the way the author dealt with Lu's relationship with her father and the struggles she goes through. I just wish certain things could have been resolved and relationships better explored. I wanted this story to be darker, more visceral, to explore things to a deeper level. Still, this has a lot to do with my personally preference. Have a good day readers💖
🆗PLOT
🆗CHARACTERS

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing of this deserves the full five stars. I read this back to back with Anderson’s, Riley’s Ghost. Zarr out-writes the other book at every turn. Both books deal with protagonists who are acting out in negative and somewhat self-destructive ways. Anderson’s, Riley feels shallow and artificial where Zarr’s Lou is brutally genuine. Every character, every interaction, every motivation, every conversation, and the resolution all completely genuine. Anyone who as even lived adjacent to someone who has lived with an addict will see and understand Lou and Casey. Sara isn’t giving readers a safe and tidy solution to very hard problems but shines hope into messy realities.

Popsugar #21: A book about a band or music group

[Akilah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quiet and melancholy, sad and hopeful -- Sara Zarr for middle grade basically does all the things Sara Zarr for YA does for the younger set. The characters and setting and the emotional arcs are visceral and real. I think Zarr perfectly captures the conundrum of being eleven and living with alcoholism: adults and older siblings not behaving the way they SHOULD and the way you want and being completely stuck because you don't even have the freedom to go to the mall with your friends on your own, especially once your mom moves you out of the city and into the suburbs.

A super engaging read.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really sweet story and I appreciate the way it approached alcoholism without dumbing it down for kids. It talks about how Lou can be conflicted because on the one hand, she loves her dad, but on the other, it's not safe for her when he's drinking. She understandably wants to know stuff like how people can drink when there's an alcoholic in their life or how a sober person can stay sober, and it doesn't demonize alcohol in the way that a lot of kid's media does.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Lou has a lot going on in her life that many middle grade readers will understand-an absent father, a mom remarrying, and a move to a new town. Because of this, she navigates family and friendship dilemmas that help her figure out where her home really is. This is a great choice for student book clubs because of the discussions and conversations that will take place.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
I really loved the relationships in this book and the faith elements that I have not yet seen in a middle grade book.
As with most books in this genre it deals with very difficult, challenging topics in an age-appropriate, hopeful way.

[Cecily Rehner · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZINGGGGGGG. I really liked it. It's about a girl named lou who has to move away from everything she knows to move in her step fathers. On her birthday, she receives a guitar from her dad....or that's who she think gave it to her. A great book about learning to love a new family and new life.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed in the New York Times Book review, 2/13/22
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/11/bo...

[the_storied_life (Joyce Santiago) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Leonard Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I prefer not to give half stars, but I really did think this was better than books I’ve been giving 3 stars to—better-written and more engaging and you do root for everyone. But this was also not quite what I had been giving 4 stars to—a bit too conventional and thus predictable perhaps.

[Mrs Heidrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a powerful story about a girl named Sara with a lot of questions and facing a lot of change. One of my favourite things about this book was seeing how the adults created space for her!!! Bravo!

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid middle school book. I guess I am on a roll this summer. Great characters. Loved the sister relationship.

[Dallin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I just wish that beth and Kyra and Lu could have been friends. I also wish after she moved beth would have been more of a character. Lastly I wish we would have known more about the Dad.

4.25