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Sharing Susan
Susan is upset by the strange atmosphere in her home until she discovers that, as a baby, she had been sent home from the hospital with the wrong set of parents and that her biological parents have come to reclaim her
122 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1991
4 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Eve Bunting
314 books411 followersAlso known as Evelyn Bolton and A.E. Bunting.
Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.
Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.
In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.
Anne Evelyn Bunting, better known as Eve Bunting, is an author with more than 250 books. Her books are diverse in age groups, from picture books to chapter books, and topic, ranging from Thanksgiving to riots in Los Angeles. Eve Bunting has won several awards for her works.
Bunting went to school in Ireland and grew up with storytelling. In Ireland, “There used to be Shanachies… the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I’m a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen.” This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and continues with her work.
In 1958, Bunting moved to the United States with her husband and three children. A few years later, Bunting enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting has taught writing classes at UCLA. She now lives in Pasadena, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
October 9, 2010
I wouldn't be surprised if this was based on a true life story. It was an emotional rollercoaster ride for both parents and Susan's life was completely changed by the death of Marlene. I was glad to see that Susan eventually connected with Jeremy - children, at times, have an amazingly calming, non-confrontational effect on people.
For example, when a child stares at you, you might stare back, shrug your shoulders, and not think about it again. However, if an adult does the same thing, you mull it over in your head, wonder "What's up? Why are you looking at me?" It becomes a mind-game. (Those are fun books to read.) Ha ha
Anyway, I think this book would be helpful for someone who is struggling to let a new, currently unwanted, person into their life. It is perfectly normal and encouraged to let that child experience the shock, denial, defiance and finally the acceptance of someone new. I think this book could help children 10 yrs and up come to accept such life-changing circumstances.
For example, when a child stares at you, you might stare back, shrug your shoulders, and not think about it again. However, if an adult does the same thing, you mull it over in your head, wonder "What's up? Why are you looking at me?" It becomes a mind-game. (Those are fun books to read.) Ha ha
Anyway, I think this book would be helpful for someone who is struggling to let a new, currently unwanted, person into their life. It is perfectly normal and encouraged to let that child experience the shock, denial, defiance and finally the acceptance of someone new. I think this book could help children 10 yrs and up come to accept such life-changing circumstances.
September 29, 2015
I thought this would be good considering the subject matter, but it was somewhat of a dud. It did make me think about how I might handle a situation like the one The Moretti family and the Stobble family went through. I watch Switched at birth, but for some reason I doubt things play out like the storyline on that show, and those girls were nearly 16.
I think it's easy to imagine that anybody would want what is rightfully theirs, but to me, Susan belonged to each family in a different way. Obviously she was a Stobble biologically, but she was a Moretti in every other way that counts, but unfortunately, when a hospital mixes up babies, the life you have had since the mix-up doesn't count, only biology does. If the birth parents want you back, there is nothing the parents who have raised you can do. Is that wrong? I suppose I'm not sure one way or the other.
I think it's easy to imagine that anybody would want what is rightfully theirs, but to me, Susan belonged to each family in a different way. Obviously she was a Stobble biologically, but she was a Moretti in every other way that counts, but unfortunately, when a hospital mixes up babies, the life you have had since the mix-up doesn't count, only biology does. If the birth parents want you back, there is nothing the parents who have raised you can do. Is that wrong? I suppose I'm not sure one way or the other.
August 18, 2008
Susan’s parents are fighting and talking in low voices, and Susan and her best friend Clemmie are convinced that something bad is going on. Susan thinks her parents are divorcing. Clemmie refers to it as The Big Worry.
The truth is far worse than divorce. Turns out that on the night Susan was born, there was a mixup at the hospital, and Susan is the biological daughter of different parents.
This book is hilarious because it’s so old. The descriptions of clothes are fantastic—Susan dresses up in a cream dress with a lace collar and cream tights and shoes with bows on them, and feels really fancy. I love it.
The plot is a little stale. It’s an exciting concept, but it doesn’t go anywhere with it. Eh.
The truth is far worse than divorce. Turns out that on the night Susan was born, there was a mixup at the hospital, and Susan is the biological daughter of different parents.
This book is hilarious because it’s so old. The descriptions of clothes are fantastic—Susan dresses up in a cream dress with a lace collar and cream tights and shoes with bows on them, and feels really fancy. I love it.
The plot is a little stale. It’s an exciting concept, but it doesn’t go anywhere with it. Eh.
May 31, 2016
I was 12 when I read this one, the whole conflict of Susan and this new found family was comforting someway (8 years later I'd find that I had my own "Great Wondering" of sorts), Susan and Clemmie make a great duo and Jeremy is so adorable asking for allergies and jacuzzis.
The main trouble with this book for me, at 12 years old, was that I had to know what happened at the end, did Susan finally accepted that she had two sets of parents? Did Jeremy ever stopped fearing she'd call him Germy? What happened with Clemmie and Douglas?
Overall the book is fantastic, it's an easy reading and it kept me hooked the whole time, I must add that at 12 years old nothing that wasn't Harry Potter related kept my attention for more than 15 minutes. I do still hate the open end though.
The main trouble with this book for me, at 12 years old, was that I had to know what happened at the end, did Susan finally accepted that she had two sets of parents? Did Jeremy ever stopped fearing she'd call him Germy? What happened with Clemmie and Douglas?
Overall the book is fantastic, it's an easy reading and it kept me hooked the whole time, I must add that at 12 years old nothing that wasn't Harry Potter related kept my attention for more than 15 minutes. I do still hate the open end though.
August 22, 2009
There were elements of the story I loved, especially the relationship between Susan and her best friend Clemmie, but I had difficulty identifying with the Stobbels. I had trouble believing they would really uproot Susan from the only home and family she has known for all of her twelve years, and I felt Susan's adjustment to her new family seemed a bit premature and unrealistic. Ms. Bunting tackled a difficult issue and her book is still a very good read and should provoke some great discussions.
Want to read
May 29, 2009I read the first chapter or so in the hospital's waiting room.
Even in the circumstance that your baby and someone else's was switched at first, and then when your child (who is not really yours) is twelve dies, you have it investigated and find out she's not yours--would you go and find your real child and try to take her back? I think that's kind of terrible. I wouldn't...
Even in the circumstance that your baby and someone else's was switched at first, and then when your child (who is not really yours) is twelve dies, you have it investigated and find out she's not yours--would you go and find your real child and try to take her back? I think that's kind of terrible. I wouldn't...
December 9, 2010
I read this book at LEAST 5 times in middle school and I absolutely love the story.
June 5, 2012
And 20 years later this storyline appeared in my Legal Research and Writing class...
January 26, 2015
la lei hace tiempo,me parecio algo chocante la trama,pero interesante
March 21, 2017
I picked up this book because I wanted to read it for years and when my public library had it I decided to check it out. It was a short book so I was able to read it in about an hour. It was an interesting story line, but it did not seem to play out well. This book came out in 1991 so in today's standards it might be out dated. We now have a show called Switched at Birth and that seems more realistic than this book. I mean if this had a companion novel I would have given it a benefit of the doubt so that it can build up to a deeper story, but it didn't. As a stand alone it was too short to have anything. The characters were alright, but just did not seem realistic. I would liked to see the story continue to show the transaction between Susan and both of the families. Just seemed to be a little forced and made me cringe at times when Susan met her real parents and little brother.
April 18, 2016
I first read this book when I was a tween when I was going through a phase of reading really intense and emotional books. I recently reread it for fun and it was pretty good, but some of the language is a bit dated now.
September 12, 2011
Susan's life changes when she discovers she was switched at birth and will now be shared between her birth family and the family that raised her. Questions of identity and family are presented through a likeable protagonist and realistic scenarios.
April 24, 2012
This book is about Susan going throught the "issues" of being adopted and shared between two families, brothers and parentship. I adore Susan. I have read this book like 6 or 7 times. Its cute and YOU should give it a try.
November 20, 2012
This book was amazing! I am SUPER disappointed that there is no sequel no movie, no nothing! I loved this book and all the characters. Once I met Tony, I figured it all out! Thanks for such a great book!
May 19, 2013
I really didn't like this book. It made me angry. I'm not sure something like this could ever happen. I thought the story was hard to read. I can envision certain people who would definitely enjoy this type of story.
June 29, 2016
This was a book in contention for the Maud Hart Lovelace book award during the 1995-6 school year. This was my response at that time: A young girl finds out she was switched at birth. I didn't think she was very realistic.
July 13, 2019
This is very well written story that tugs at all your emotions. I remember reading it when I was a kid, and I enjoy it as an adult just as much. I would love to read a follow up to this story if the author ever feels like writing one.
February 11, 2009
Short. I liked this book it had a good messege
October 11, 2010
i love it!!!!
December 27, 2010
good portrayal of feelings, shows both sides of biological.adoptive issue
March 7, 2012
Read it for school (:
September 10, 2013
I loved this book it's about how a girl named Susan and how a hospital mixed up to baby girls born on the same day and Susan ended up with the wrong mom and dad
December 19, 2014
What a shock for Susan! but happy for how things turned out; kept me hooked until the end!
April 6, 2015
I don't liked that much this book because of the ending
October 28, 2019
I was looking for Eve Bunting book (The Ghost Children) at the used bookstore, and, of course, they didn't have it. I did find this one, though, and I'm a sucker for the cheesy little old school middle grade paperbacks, so for $2, why not?
Also, funny story, I was "switched at birth" when I was born (they brought my mom the wrong baby to feed and she noticed instantly because the other baby had tons of hair and I...didn't...and as they forced him into her arms, insisting it was her baby she reminded them she had a girl, not a boy, and they snatched him back like she'd stolen him) so I thought this would be fun.
It wasn't fun. It was actually pretty traumatic to read. I don't even know what the moral or ethical thing would be to do in a situation like this, and it's awful to think that people have had to find out. It seems pretty terrible to try and switch back sixth graders...especially in this instance. I sniffled through most of the book--for once, empathizing with both the kid and the two sets of parents, and feeling pretty horrible the whole time. Normally, that would be a glowing recommendation, but the book is too short and ends just when it's starting to pick up. Too bad. (For a better version of this story, I highly recommend the Japanese movie "Like Father, Like Son".)
Now, if anyone sees The Ghost Children somewhere, let me know.
Also, funny story, I was "switched at birth" when I was born (they brought my mom the wrong baby to feed and she noticed instantly because the other baby had tons of hair and I...didn't...and as they forced him into her arms, insisting it was her baby she reminded them she had a girl, not a boy, and they snatched him back like she'd stolen him) so I thought this would be fun.
It wasn't fun. It was actually pretty traumatic to read. I don't even know what the moral or ethical thing would be to do in a situation like this, and it's awful to think that people have had to find out. It seems pretty terrible to try and switch back sixth graders...especially in this instance. I sniffled through most of the book--for once, empathizing with both the kid and the two sets of parents, and feeling pretty horrible the whole time. Normally, that would be a glowing recommendation, but the book is too short and ends just when it's starting to pick up. Too bad. (For a better version of this story, I highly recommend the Japanese movie "Like Father, Like Son".)
Now, if anyone sees The Ghost Children somewhere, let me know.
April 13, 2025
Una relectura🩵
Compartiendo a Susan es uno de esos libros que se me quedó para siempre en el corazón y en la memoria. Me lo leí a los 11, a los 15, a los 18, a los 22 y ahora, a mis 26 años.
Eve Bunting no narra una historia, sino la construcción de una identidad a partir de la destrucción de toda la realidad de Susan, de lo que ella da por sentado: su origen.
Este siempre será mi pasaje favorito:
— Nos quedamos un rato más, y yo me preguntaba si los bebés de las ballenas se confundían alguna vez. Si había ocasiones en que una madre nadaba todos esos miles de kilómetros con el bebé a cuestas y, cuando llegaba a Alaska, otra ballena se le atravesaba y le decía: «¡Oye! Ese no es tu ballenato. Hubo una confusión allá en México».
«No», pensé. «Las madres ballena probablemente conocen la piel, el olor y la voz de su bebé».
Lo que Susan descubre es que el origen no siempre es un lugar, o una persona, sino una búsqueda; un recordatorio de que la raíces o los lazos familiares van más allá de la sangre y aunque se estiren y duelan, siguen oliendo a casa.
Compartiendo a Susan es uno de esos libros que se me quedó para siempre en el corazón y en la memoria. Me lo leí a los 11, a los 15, a los 18, a los 22 y ahora, a mis 26 años.
Eve Bunting no narra una historia, sino la construcción de una identidad a partir de la destrucción de toda la realidad de Susan, de lo que ella da por sentado: su origen.
Este siempre será mi pasaje favorito:
— Nos quedamos un rato más, y yo me preguntaba si los bebés de las ballenas se confundían alguna vez. Si había ocasiones en que una madre nadaba todos esos miles de kilómetros con el bebé a cuestas y, cuando llegaba a Alaska, otra ballena se le atravesaba y le decía: «¡Oye! Ese no es tu ballenato. Hubo una confusión allá en México».
«No», pensé. «Las madres ballena probablemente conocen la piel, el olor y la voz de su bebé».
Lo que Susan descubre es que el origen no siempre es un lugar, o una persona, sino una búsqueda; un recordatorio de que la raíces o los lazos familiares van más allá de la sangre y aunque se estiren y duelan, siguen oliendo a casa.
February 2, 2026
Lo leí en el colegio hace aproximadamente 15 años y recordaba la premisa inicial y que era muy bueno, de lo mejor que leí de pequeña. Lo empecé a buscar desde hace un par de años y la bibliotecaria del cole me lo consiguió. Con miedo lo empecé a leer, temiendo que me pasara lo que me ha pasado con otros libros de la infancia, que al releerlos no fueran tan buenos como los recordaba. Afortunadamente, en esta oportunidad no fue así, releerlo fue mejor de lo que esperaba, cumplió mis expectativas y más, me mantuvo muy expentante y me lo devoré, igual que la Vicky de la época escolar. Ahora entiendo por qué me gustó tanto cuando niña y agradezco que sea el primer libro de infancia que envejeció tan bien. No tengo ninguna duda de que merece 5 estrellas.
November 12, 2019
Twelve-year-old Susan finds out she was switched at birth. Now her birth parents want to get to know her. Susan is completely mixed up inside. This book is full of emotionally charged irrational thoughts like, My parents don't love me; they really love this other girl, their real daughter. While thoughts like these are understandable, it becomes wearing. Especially when the family doesn't really talk it out or express these things much.
May 18, 2025
Es un relato bien interesante, que como lectura complementaria, ofrece la posibilidad de trabajar diversos valores y emociones como la empatía, la otredad, el egoísmo y la identidad.
Si bien, hay cosas que se pueden alejan un poco de la realidad en términos de “qué pasaría si”, puede llegar a resultar familiar en cuanto a las sensaciones de Susan. Es una protagonista convincente.
Si bien, hay cosas que se pueden alejan un poco de la realidad en términos de “qué pasaría si”, puede llegar a resultar familiar en cuanto a las sensaciones de Susan. Es una protagonista convincente.
June 6, 2020
It was an okay book. I would like to know what happened to Susan later on in her life. Very realistic.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews