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A Feed Sack Dress for Sadie
Dressed like a princess, the little girl lifted a daffodil to her face. Then she disappeared.
She was stolen.
🏆 From Brenda K. Thompson, 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards First Place Grand Prize Winner for Fiction for Alice Anyway.
Sadie Lockhart grew up on the Lockhart farm, where silence was expected and usefulness passed for affection. Hidden deep in the hills, she was raised far from the world, and the Lockharts made certain no one knew she existed.
Years pass, and the child who learned to survive becomes a woman known for something very different. In a small town in The Glens, Sadie earns quiet respect for the way she works, the way she helps without being asked, and the steady kindness she offers while asking almost nothing in return.
But a life built on survival leaves shadows.
As pieces of the past begin to surface, Sadie must face truths long buried. What she discovers will force her to decide whether the life that was taken from her defines her, or the one she fought to build.
Set against the stark beauty of rural Appalachia, *A Feed Sack Dress for Sadie* is a haunting and deeply human novel about identity, endurance, and the quiet dignity of a woman who built a life from almost nothing.
Also by Brenda K. Thompson: the quiet, character-driven Appalachian novels Alice Anyway, Ivaleena, and Child H.
She was stolen.
🏆 From Brenda K. Thompson, 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards First Place Grand Prize Winner for Fiction for Alice Anyway.
Sadie Lockhart grew up on the Lockhart farm, where silence was expected and usefulness passed for affection. Hidden deep in the hills, she was raised far from the world, and the Lockharts made certain no one knew she existed.
Years pass, and the child who learned to survive becomes a woman known for something very different. In a small town in The Glens, Sadie earns quiet respect for the way she works, the way she helps without being asked, and the steady kindness she offers while asking almost nothing in return.
But a life built on survival leaves shadows.
As pieces of the past begin to surface, Sadie must face truths long buried. What she discovers will force her to decide whether the life that was taken from her defines her, or the one she fought to build.
Set against the stark beauty of rural Appalachia, *A Feed Sack Dress for Sadie* is a haunting and deeply human novel about identity, endurance, and the quiet dignity of a woman who built a life from almost nothing.
Also by Brenda K. Thompson: the quiet, character-driven Appalachian novels Alice Anyway, Ivaleena, and Child H.
- GenresAmazonHistorical Fiction
330 pages
Published May 11, 2026
About the author
Brenda K. Thompson
4 books37 followersI’m Brenda K. Thompson, Grand Prize-winning author of Alice Anyway and the Appalachian novels Ivaleena, A Feed Sack Dress for Sadie, and Child H. I write emotionally resonant fiction about resilience, identity, belonging, and the quiet courage it takes to claim one’s own life. My stories are meant to be lived in.
My debut novel, Alice Anyway, was named the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards First Place Grand Prize Winner for Fiction. It also won First Novel (70,000–90,000 words) and was named a finalist in Female Empowerment. The novel became a #1 Amazon Bestseller in Women’s Historical Fiction, Historical Literary Fiction, and Women’s Literary Fiction.
Ivaleena unfolds beneath the canvas of a traveling carnival, where illusion and identity become difficult to separate. A Feed Sack Dress for Sadie follows a stolen child who survives to build a life of her own. My newest novel, Child H, begins in 1898 Appalachia with six-year-old Hannah Campbell and a house gone strange.
Before writing fiction, I spent years on Wall Street and later founded Special “Finds…” Unique Property Marketing. Both taught me how deeply story and place shape the way we see the world.
My husband, Jim, nearly always finds his way into one of my characters. Sometimes the two of us appear together, though we may be the only ones who recognize us.
I’m grateful for every reader who enters these stories, spends time with the people inside them, and carries something of them away.
My debut novel, Alice Anyway, was named the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards First Place Grand Prize Winner for Fiction. It also won First Novel (70,000–90,000 words) and was named a finalist in Female Empowerment. The novel became a #1 Amazon Bestseller in Women’s Historical Fiction, Historical Literary Fiction, and Women’s Literary Fiction.
Ivaleena unfolds beneath the canvas of a traveling carnival, where illusion and identity become difficult to separate. A Feed Sack Dress for Sadie follows a stolen child who survives to build a life of her own. My newest novel, Child H, begins in 1898 Appalachia with six-year-old Hannah Campbell and a house gone strange.
Before writing fiction, I spent years on Wall Street and later founded Special “Finds…” Unique Property Marketing. Both taught me how deeply story and place shape the way we see the world.
My husband, Jim, nearly always finds his way into one of my characters. Sometimes the two of us appear together, though we may be the only ones who recognize us.
I’m grateful for every reader who enters these stories, spends time with the people inside them, and carries something of them away.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
July 1, 2026
I loved this story; the writing style, short sentences full of impact. A very sad tale but such resilience! Had I started reading in the morning, I would have finished the same day.
May 20, 2026
Awesome
This is one of the best books I have ever read (and I read a lot). Despite her upbringing Sadie becomes a kind gentle soul who helps without wanting or needing recognition. Be prepared to cry. Such a heartwarming story!
This is one of the best books I have ever read (and I read a lot). Despite her upbringing Sadie becomes a kind gentle soul who helps without wanting or needing recognition. Be prepared to cry. Such a heartwarming story!
June 3, 2026
Wow
What a great read. Until think this will be one of the books that will forever stay with me. It touched my heart.
Mercy was kidnapped as a child at a church function. Never to return. He new parents called her Sadie after their dog with the same name. Her childhood was never easy.
I found it interesting to travel Sadie' s life journey.
This was just around great story.
Never read this author before, but I would definitely read another book by her.
What a great read. Until think this will be one of the books that will forever stay with me. It touched my heart.
Mercy was kidnapped as a child at a church function. Never to return. He new parents called her Sadie after their dog with the same name. Her childhood was never easy.
I found it interesting to travel Sadie' s life journey.
This was just around great story.
Never read this author before, but I would definitely read another book by her.
August 11, 2026
Never Judge a Book by Its (Terrible) Title
I’m not proud of it, but that was my exact thought when A Feed Sack for Sadie first crossed my radar. The title felt so completely uninspired that I assumed the writing inside would be just as flat. After all, if an author can’t even pitch a catchy hook on the front cover, why waste the time?
I stand completely corrected.
I finally caved and picked it up, and I had to eat my words within the first few chapters. Once you push past the awkward branding, the story utterly hooks you. The character work is sharp, the pacing doesn't let up, and there’s an unexpected level of heart that completely blew my low expectations out of the water.
The Verdict:
Don't let the title scare you off. It might be a total marketing misfire, but the story inside is a genuine gem.
I’m not proud of it, but that was my exact thought when A Feed Sack for Sadie first crossed my radar. The title felt so completely uninspired that I assumed the writing inside would be just as flat. After all, if an author can’t even pitch a catchy hook on the front cover, why waste the time?
I stand completely corrected.
I finally caved and picked it up, and I had to eat my words within the first few chapters. Once you push past the awkward branding, the story utterly hooks you. The character work is sharp, the pacing doesn't let up, and there’s an unexpected level of heart that completely blew my low expectations out of the water.
The Verdict:
Don't let the title scare you off. It might be a total marketing misfire, but the story inside is a genuine gem.
October 2, 2026
It's different. It's not a Once Upon a Time this happened from point 'a' to point 'b' to the end of the yellow brick road. I enjoyed this book, even though I thought it might be a little "iffy"... I found the writing style unique, and once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. Side by side with Sadie as she went through her experiences was sad, but strengthening-- she is a resilient character. The "fairy tale" ending we hope for didn't come along, but Sadie took her situation and turned it into something to be proud of. If I were her mother, and learned of it, I would be proud of her. She certainly strengthened my backbone!
May 25, 2026
A Feed Sack Dress for Sadie
This was a wonderful book!
It draws you in & holds you tight.
I measure how good a story is by the emotions it brings out.
It's fantastic if it pulls you in & makes you cry or makes you laugh out loud.
A Feed Sack Dress for Sadie is a story of an innocent 5 year old & her journey of survival & resilience. And a community that eventually became her home.
I definitely recommend this book to all readers.
Jackie Smith
This was a wonderful book!
It draws you in & holds you tight.
I measure how good a story is by the emotions it brings out.
It's fantastic if it pulls you in & makes you cry or makes you laugh out loud.
A Feed Sack Dress for Sadie is a story of an innocent 5 year old & her journey of survival & resilience. And a community that eventually became her home.
I definitely recommend this book to all readers.
Jackie Smith
June 16, 2026
Unique
Willing suspense of disbelief .
Chapter 12 "The wondering always ended the same way, with the weight settling back in and no answers to set it down on.
Chapter 34 Home ... was the place she had shaped with her own hands.
Powerful story of young woman who was kidnaped and abused but rose above the adversity
Willing suspense of disbelief .
Chapter 12 "The wondering always ended the same way, with the weight settling back in and no answers to set it down on.
Chapter 34 Home ... was the place she had shaped with her own hands.
Powerful story of young woman who was kidnaped and abused but rose above the adversity
September 13, 2026
Like nothing I've ever read
If you don't read this book you've missed a gem. When you finish, you're going to have to sit with it a while, and let it settle. True grit, heart felt love, deep feelings, all in clean dialog without a single foul word. Maybe it's my Southern heritage, but I loved this book. Well done MS. Thompson!
If you don't read this book you've missed a gem. When you finish, you're going to have to sit with it a while, and let it settle. True grit, heart felt love, deep feelings, all in clean dialog without a single foul word. Maybe it's my Southern heritage, but I loved this book. Well done MS. Thompson!
May 22, 2026
Get ready for tears
The author has introduced a character with depth and determination. Sadie grows throughout the book, shaped by many people and life lessons - many harsh. What a fantastic person grew from those lessons, and an amazing person she became.
The author has introduced a character with depth and determination. Sadie grows throughout the book, shaped by many people and life lessons - many harsh. What a fantastic person grew from those lessons, and an amazing person she became.
May 25, 2026
This was an emotional and intriguing book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Sadie proves to be a truly remarkable and resilient character. I loved Ms. Thompson's writing style. While original and unpredictable, it was easy to read, yet it contains a depth of emotion and complex characters.
May 25, 2026
The Picture On The Cover Says It All
This book is a heartbreaking read, but one I heartily recommend.
The writing is strong and it immediately drops the reader into it. One word of caution: don’t start reading if your time is limited. You will be hard pressed to put it down!
This book is a heartbreaking read, but one I heartily recommend.
The writing is strong and it immediately drops the reader into it. One word of caution: don’t start reading if your time is limited. You will be hard pressed to put it down!
June 30, 2026
Incredible!
This story was incredible to say the least! It evoked so many emotions throughout the story and by the end tears were covering my cheeks. It was so well written that I felt everything that Sadie was going through. I will remember this story to the end of my days.
This story was incredible to say the least! It evoked so many emotions throughout the story and by the end tears were covering my cheeks. It was so well written that I felt everything that Sadie was going through. I will remember this story to the end of my days.
May 16, 2026
Oh, my heart!
This story, while sad at times, also celebrates what could be considered small gestures, small kindnesses but change things in a big way. I'm so glad I spent my entire evening reading this story. It feels like a big moment to get involved in the characters in the book.
This story, while sad at times, also celebrates what could be considered small gestures, small kindnesses but change things in a big way. I'm so glad I spent my entire evening reading this story. It feels like a big moment to get involved in the characters in the book.
May 18, 2026
A Quiet Tale
A child is taken and life is hard but in its place a quiet peace exists. The story starts slow but is worth following to the end
A child is taken and life is hard but in its place a quiet peace exists. The story starts slow but is worth following to the end
May 25, 2026
oh how I cried for Sadie
Such a great story. Couldn’t put it down. The store jut gently draws you in, and won’t let go. Excellent.
Such a great story. Couldn’t put it down. The store jut gently draws you in, and won’t let go. Excellent.
June 12, 2026
Wonderful read
Heart warming . real and very emotional loved it. The little girl dressed in the feed sack is perfect for the story
Heart warming . real and very emotional loved it. The little girl dressed in the feed sack is perfect for the story
June 15, 2026
Great book!!
Don’t know what to write. I thought I only read westerns. I tried this book and really liked it. Kept me interested for the whole story. You have to read it.
Don’t know what to write. I thought I only read westerns. I tried this book and really liked it. Kept me interested for the whole story. You have to read it.
June 16, 2026
This book had me openly crying. The writing was emotional and well done. You felt all the pain of the characters. Definitely recommend.
June 25, 2026
Unusual
A well written, deeply moving story that sounds so real. I got connected to the main character and with the writing, fully understood her choices.
A well written, deeply moving story that sounds so real. I got connected to the main character and with the writing, fully understood her choices.
July 3, 2026
A different read with a great story
July 15, 2026
Worth reading
Touching, excellent read. I enjoyed this book very much. It has a depth that most fiction that I’ve read lately lacks.
Touching, excellent read. I enjoyed this book very much. It has a depth that most fiction that I’ve read lately lacks.
July 15, 2026
captivating read
This story’s beginning left such a hollow spot that was soon filled with developing strength that I couldn’t put down.
This story’s beginning left such a hollow spot that was soon filled with developing strength that I couldn’t put down.
July 26, 2026
A very compelling story of an abducted child and her life after her abductors die.
August 12, 2026
It was simple and yet so much more. It brought tears and peace. Going to read another by her.
September 14, 2026
Beautiful Read
This book was sad but also uplifting. I enjoyed reading about this little one who finally had peace. I will look for more from this author.
This book was sad but also uplifting. I enjoyed reading about this little one who finally had peace. I will look for more from this author.
September 14, 2026
What a story! I can't add much to the other reviews. This book will stay with me for a long time. I will look for more by this author.
October 3, 2026
missing girl
What a great story. How something so awful can have such a profound and amazing ending. A beautiful storyline I’d recommend reading.
What a great story. How something so awful can have such a profound and amazing ending. A beautiful storyline I’d recommend reading.
October 8, 2026
Easy read, emotional, very good book.
Couldn't put the thing down. This book really got to me—I was totally hooked and just kept going till I finished the whole thing.
Couldn't put the thing down. This book really got to me—I was totally hooked and just kept going till I finished the whole thing.
July 1, 2026
This was a good story. I don’t like to spoil things. So all I can say is you will really like it.
July 4, 2026
wonderful story!
I feel like I lived right there with Sadie while she was growing up miserable and scared, and I held my breath when she was discovering her former life.
I feel like I lived right there with Sadie while she was growing up miserable and scared, and I held my breath when she was discovering her former life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews