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Threads
The day twelve-year-old Clara finds a desperate note in a purse in Bellman's department store, she is still reeling from the death of her adopted sister, Lola.
By that day, thirteen-year-old Yuming has lost hope that the note she stashed in the purse will ever be found. She may be stuck sewing in the pale pink factory outside of Beijing forever.
Clara grows more and more convinced that she was meant to find Yuming's note. Lola would have wanted her to do something about it. But how can Clara talk her parents, who are also in mourning, into going on a trip to China?
Finally the time comes when Yuming weighs the options, measures the risk, and attempts a daring escape.
The lives of two girls--one American, and one Chinese--intersect like two soaring kites in this story about loss, hope, and recovery.
By that day, thirteen-year-old Yuming has lost hope that the note she stashed in the purse will ever be found. She may be stuck sewing in the pale pink factory outside of Beijing forever.
Clara grows more and more convinced that she was meant to find Yuming's note. Lola would have wanted her to do something about it. But how can Clara talk her parents, who are also in mourning, into going on a trip to China?
Finally the time comes when Yuming weighs the options, measures the risk, and attempts a daring escape.
The lives of two girls--one American, and one Chinese--intersect like two soaring kites in this story about loss, hope, and recovery.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2016
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August 10, 2025Review by E. Polonsky
I just finished my mom’s book SPIN WITH ME. I am so honored that she based this book off my gender identity. I feel a real connection with Ollie, and that’s no surprise because we are pretty much the same person. To me, the best thing about the book is that it could help LGBTQ+ people be more accepted. Although SPIN WITH ME isn’t my type of book because I like more action books such as Alan Gratz’s books, I am so proud of my mom and everything she has accomplished in her life. If you are a fan of middle grade romance, you should read this book. It just may change your life.
I just finished my mom’s book SPIN WITH ME. I am so honored that she based this book off my gender identity. I feel a real connection with Ollie, and that’s no surprise because we are pretty much the same person. To me, the best thing about the book is that it could help LGBTQ+ people be more accepted. Although SPIN WITH ME isn’t my type of book because I like more action books such as Alan Gratz’s books, I am so proud of my mom and everything she has accomplished in her life. If you are a fan of middle grade romance, you should read this book. It just may change your life.
July 20, 2020
Review from E. Polonsky
I just finished my mom’s book SPIN WITH ME. I am so honored that she based this book off my gender identity. I feel a real connection with Ollie, and that’s no surprise because we are pretty much the same person. To me, the best thing about the book is that it could help LGBTQ+ people be more accepted. Although SPIN WITH ME isn’t my type of book because I like more action books such as Alan Gratz’s books, I am so proud of my mom and everything she has accomplished in her life. If you are a fan of middle grade romance, you should read this book. It just may change your life.
I just finished my mom’s book SPIN WITH ME. I am so honored that she based this book off my gender identity. I feel a real connection with Ollie, and that’s no surprise because we are pretty much the same person. To me, the best thing about the book is that it could help LGBTQ+ people be more accepted. Although SPIN WITH ME isn’t my type of book because I like more action books such as Alan Gratz’s books, I am so proud of my mom and everything she has accomplished in her life. If you are a fan of middle grade romance, you should read this book. It just may change your life.
March 6, 2021
Rounding up from 2.5 stars. The basic idea of the book was strong and necessary - there are certainly not enough books with nonbinary characters, especially as love interests, nor are there many with cis characters trying to understand a crush on/romantic interest in a nonbinary character, particularly at the middle grade level - but the execution was mediocre. There's a difference between a book being fast paced and one with scenes so short that it doesn't really feel that there's time for the emotions and ideas within to settle. I also found having the entire first half as Essie's perspective and the entire second half from Ollie's to be a bit of an odd choice: it ended up with some scenes essentially recreated in the second half without much being added by the perspective change alongside plotlines which are not even hinted at in the first part. Ollie's stage combat class, for example, is a pretty significant part of their section, despite not being mentioned even off-handedly in Essie's - it's an interesting writing challenge to have one perspective highlight or minimize certain things versus the other, but it felt a bit off balance to have certain aspects seemingly not exist at all.
Overall, I found Ollie much more strongly characterized than Essie, and their issues with parental involvement and trying to balance their advocacy with being a normal kid were laid out nicely. Essie on the other hand....there was a moment where she described something as being "classic Essie," and I found myself thinking that I had absolutely no idea if that was true or not. Rather than a full character, she seemed much more a vehicle for the Issues of the book. The older side characters like Annabella or Ollie's brother Max often came off as better developed than most of the young characters; none of the friends, for example, seemed to be particularly well-rounded or have all that much to differentiate them.
The concepts around gender and nonbinary identity were also much better described in Ollie's part of the book. During Essie's half, Ollie describes themself as "a girl who's a boy" and Essie decides that makes sense based on her knowledge of Ollie - perhaps not the most helpful explanation for young readers encountering the idea of the gender spectrum for the first time.
I'm also not sure that the voices felt particularly authentic to the age group. Like many adult authors writing middle grade/YA there seemed to be an awkwardness to the text messages in particular, but there were also some strange turns of phrase overall, such as one of the characters referring to "the interweb," or Essie describing her mother as "aloof" - it's certainly not impossible for a seventh grader to know the word, but would they realistically use it instead of "distant"? I also found myself wondering whether seventh graders would really be using the language of love and attraction rather than more nebulous feelings and crushes.
I think this is a decent option to offer middle grade readers, perhaps those who have enjoyed Alex Gino's work in the past, but I hope that more books with nonbinary/genderqueer characters will eventually be offered which might be a bit stronger.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Overall, I found Ollie much more strongly characterized than Essie, and their issues with parental involvement and trying to balance their advocacy with being a normal kid were laid out nicely. Essie on the other hand....there was a moment where she described something as being "classic Essie," and I found myself thinking that I had absolutely no idea if that was true or not. Rather than a full character, she seemed much more a vehicle for the Issues of the book. The older side characters like Annabella or Ollie's brother Max often came off as better developed than most of the young characters; none of the friends, for example, seemed to be particularly well-rounded or have all that much to differentiate them.
The concepts around gender and nonbinary identity were also much better described in Ollie's part of the book. During Essie's half, Ollie describes themself as "a girl who's a boy" and Essie decides that makes sense based on her knowledge of Ollie - perhaps not the most helpful explanation for young readers encountering the idea of the gender spectrum for the first time.
I'm also not sure that the voices felt particularly authentic to the age group. Like many adult authors writing middle grade/YA there seemed to be an awkwardness to the text messages in particular, but there were also some strange turns of phrase overall, such as one of the characters referring to "the interweb," or Essie describing her mother as "aloof" - it's certainly not impossible for a seventh grader to know the word, but would they realistically use it instead of "distant"? I also found myself wondering whether seventh graders would really be using the language of love and attraction rather than more nebulous feelings and crushes.
I think this is a decent option to offer middle grade readers, perhaps those who have enjoyed Alex Gino's work in the past, but I hope that more books with nonbinary/genderqueer characters will eventually be offered which might be a bit stronger.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
July 5, 2020
2.25
While I didn't like the writing style and felt like the characters sounded way too mature, I loved the nonbinary rep in this!
While I didn't like the writing style and felt like the characters sounded way too mature, I loved the nonbinary rep in this!
July 15, 2016
Oh my word. People: you need to get acquainted with Ami Polonsky's books. And I mean now. I fell in love with Gracefully Grayson and greatly admire Polonsky's skill at reining in huge contemporary topics for a middle school audience. She continues this in her newest novel, Threads. Hot dang, this book is good. I read it in under 24 hours (although it isn't a huge book) and was very pleased with it.
It's a great premise: A girl finds a desperate note in a purse written by a Chinese girl who has been kidnapped and forced to work illegally in a factory basement. At great risk, she writes the note and stuffs it in a bag. The American girl has just lost her adopted Chinese sister to cancer six weeks previously, so the note really affects her. She decides she needs to go to China to find the girl and rescue the children in the factory. Meanwhile, in alternating chapters we hear the worker girl's thrilling story of escape and survival. Parallels between the two girls are highlighted through the book, bringing them together instead of focusing on their differences.
There were one or two small niggly things that got to me through the book, but nothing huge. I didn't rate it five stars because it's not one of "those" revered books, but 4.5 is probably an accurate mark. I particularly respected how it didn't delve into "American family swoops in and saves the day" territory, which easily could have happened. Great job Polonsky on keeping away from that! I would highly recommend reading this book. Teachers would LOVE it, it's a novel study/readaloud dream. Lots of good issue-y content but safe for middle or even elementary school.
It's a great premise: A girl finds a desperate note in a purse written by a Chinese girl who has been kidnapped and forced to work illegally in a factory basement. At great risk, she writes the note and stuffs it in a bag. The American girl has just lost her adopted Chinese sister to cancer six weeks previously, so the note really affects her. She decides she needs to go to China to find the girl and rescue the children in the factory. Meanwhile, in alternating chapters we hear the worker girl's thrilling story of escape and survival. Parallels between the two girls are highlighted through the book, bringing them together instead of focusing on their differences.
There were one or two small niggly things that got to me through the book, but nothing huge. I didn't rate it five stars because it's not one of "those" revered books, but 4.5 is probably an accurate mark. I particularly respected how it didn't delve into "American family swoops in and saves the day" territory, which easily could have happened. Great job Polonsky on keeping away from that! I would highly recommend reading this book. Teachers would LOVE it, it's a novel study/readaloud dream. Lots of good issue-y content but safe for middle or even elementary school.
November 23, 2017
AWESOME LIT BOOK
This book is so cool and since there is so much going on it kept me sucked in.
I liked all the main characters (e.g. Clara, Yuming, Kai, Jing, Li, ghost Lola), and they were very awesome.
I also liked the plot of the story, in which Clara finds a note from Yuming, who is in the pink factory China where the children are forced to work all day with no or very little rest. I also liked the fact that in the end Yuming, Jing, Kai, and Li, decide to get away themselves, and their adventure after escaping Mr. Zhang, the pink factory manager-person. Clara's adventure in China, trying to find the pink factory is interesting as well.
Overall, I really liked this book. It was great! (Gr8 m8)
I recommend it to anyone
This book is so cool and since there is so much going on it kept me sucked in.
I liked all the main characters (e.g. Clara, Yuming, Kai, Jing, Li, ghost Lola), and they were very awesome.
I also liked the plot of the story, in which Clara finds a note from Yuming, who is in the pink factory China where the children are forced to work all day with no or very little rest. I also liked the fact that in the end Yuming, Jing, Kai, and Li, decide to get away themselves, and their adventure after escaping Mr. Zhang, the pink factory manager-person. Clara's adventure in China, trying to find the pink factory is interesting as well.
Overall, I really liked this book. It was great! (Gr8 m8)
I recommend it to anyone
August 22, 2016
I was excited to receive an ARC of this and ordered a copy for my library 30 pages in! Reeling from the recent death of her sister Lola, 12 year old Clara is stunned to find a handwritten plea in a department store purse. 13 year old Yuming is mourning the loss of her family and terrified with the prospect of spending the rest of her life enslaved in the pink factory. How can Clara save Yuming and the other kids like her? Will Yuming escape before her note is discovered?
Although parts of the plot were clunky, the subject matter is handled beautifully and will spark great conversations.
Although parts of the plot were clunky, the subject matter is handled beautifully and will spark great conversations.
February 2, 2018
Although the book felt slightly unfinished, the real ending was really well pulled together. The main character, Clara, is a bit of a frustrating protagonist, as it is hard to understand her real motives and her ideas. I also did not get the satisfaction of seeing the two protagonists, Yuming (the girl Clara is looking for) and Clara, meet up in the end. However, Clara and Yuming are both complex, and that is why this gets a 4/5.
January 16, 2022
ngl i was mad dissapointed by the end :/
July 4, 2017
While killing time at the mall, Clare finds a note tucked inside a purse on the sale rack. It's from Yuming, a girl who is being forced to work illegally at a factory north of Beijing. A family photo accompanies the note. Clare and her parents immediately report the note to the Chinese consulate, but Clare feels driven to do more -- perhaps because the girl in the photo reminds her of her adopted sister, who recently died. Meanwhile, at the factory, Yuming and a couple other children plan their escape, but there could be harsh consequences if they are caught. If they do escape, Yuming plans to search for her brother, her only remaining family member. But how, in a country of a billion and a half people, will she ever be able to find him?
This book does a lot of things well, particularly in dealing with grief, and in differentiating between the children at the factory (they are not monolithic "poor Chinese kids"). I also appreciate the way that the book is less about the white American girl saving the Chinese girl, especially since her efforts are portrayed as things a kid could realistically do, and more about the connection between the two girls that exists from the moment Clare finds the note. There's maybe a bit more coincidence at work than I completely bought, but all in all, an interesting read, great for starting discussions with kids about privilege and modern-day slavery.
This book does a lot of things well, particularly in dealing with grief, and in differentiating between the children at the factory (they are not monolithic "poor Chinese kids"). I also appreciate the way that the book is less about the white American girl saving the Chinese girl, especially since her efforts are portrayed as things a kid could realistically do, and more about the connection between the two girls that exists from the moment Clare finds the note. There's maybe a bit more coincidence at work than I completely bought, but all in all, an interesting read, great for starting discussions with kids about privilege and modern-day slavery.
March 5, 2018
I read this for my Teachers as Readers book club. Although there were a few parts I found unrealistic, it was a great story of finding closure and healing.
April 15, 2018
Engaging middle grade read. I liked hiwcthe two girls' stories were woven together--and that the author chose not to take the story in the way that readers might expect it is going.
March 16, 2022
Lots of editing errors, which was annoying. A good story though, with some great character growth.
May 11, 2017
Threads by Ami Polonsky caught my attention based on the jacket cover summary. Read my full review here Link goes live 7/21/2017
August 8, 2016
The book Threads is told in alternating chapters by two girls about the same age but in very different environments. Right away we know that Yuming has written a short note seeking help, telling how she is being held against her will at a purse sweatshop factory close to Beijing, China. She describes the conditions and provides enough clues for someone to find the factory. She then folds the note and the one photograph of her family and inserts them in the pocket of a finished purse in a bin headed to the United States. On the other side of the world, we learn that Clara is grieving her sister’s passing. She is not thrilled to go out with her used-to-be best friend to the mall, ditches her and calls her father to pick her up. While she waits, she plays with this ‘hideous old lady purse’ she finds on clearance, and finds the note. What happens next I won’t say, but you will be wondering all along how can this plot possibly end with a satisfying resolution.
The reading is fast and all along you are faced with different feelings about what is right or wrong, what is possible or impossible, what is fair or unfair. Threads includes an excellent ending note from the author telling of her source for inspiration and providing added depth and meaning to this story. I would end this review with a keeper of a quote from the author’s note at the end of the book but I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I will be ordering a copy, probably two, for our school library and place that quote in my treasured book of quotes.
This is an excellent book for grades 3 and up. I can anticipate classroom discussions of what is the right/wrong thing to do in different scenarios the book presents. A reflection of current child labor practices around the world and the UN Declaration for the Rights of Children is a must for anyone who reads this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for this arc in exchange for a review.
The reading is fast and all along you are faced with different feelings about what is right or wrong, what is possible or impossible, what is fair or unfair. Threads includes an excellent ending note from the author telling of her source for inspiration and providing added depth and meaning to this story. I would end this review with a keeper of a quote from the author’s note at the end of the book but I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I will be ordering a copy, probably two, for our school library and place that quote in my treasured book of quotes.
This is an excellent book for grades 3 and up. I can anticipate classroom discussions of what is the right/wrong thing to do in different scenarios the book presents. A reflection of current child labor practices around the world and the UN Declaration for the Rights of Children is a must for anyone who reads this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for this arc in exchange for a review.
April 10, 2018
This novel by Gracefully Grayson author Polonsky was a sweet, compelling, and interesting middle grade read. I was worried initially that the author would write a too-neat conclusion, wrapping up the story lines by having everyone come together and "live happily ever after" but she did not. I shouldn't have been worried-after the success of Grayson I should have known to expect Polonsky to handle a tough subject matter with grace and sensitivity. Minor spoilers ahead.
Clara is struggling to adjust to life without her sister Lola, who recently passed away from childhood cancer. A half a world away, Yuming struggles to survive in the factory prison she finds herself in after being orphaned. These two girls' worlds collide when Yuming sends a desperate note in the pocket of a purse she sews where she asks for help from whoever finds it. This note, along with Clara's connection to China because of Lola's birth family, convinces Clara to travel to China in an effort to free to Yuming and save the children being exploited in the factory. Rather than having the story neatly tied up with Yuming taking Lola's place in the family, Clara begins to realize that what she is really trying to do is deal with her sister's death. Saving Yuming is just another way of distracting herself from her pain. And Yuming realizes that even though her grandparents are gone, she can still be self-reliant and find a way to trust others.
Recommended for fans of realistic fiction, especially stories by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Lynda Mullaly Hunt.
Clara is struggling to adjust to life without her sister Lola, who recently passed away from childhood cancer. A half a world away, Yuming struggles to survive in the factory prison she finds herself in after being orphaned. These two girls' worlds collide when Yuming sends a desperate note in the pocket of a purse she sews where she asks for help from whoever finds it. This note, along with Clara's connection to China because of Lola's birth family, convinces Clara to travel to China in an effort to free to Yuming and save the children being exploited in the factory. Rather than having the story neatly tied up with Yuming taking Lola's place in the family, Clara begins to realize that what she is really trying to do is deal with her sister's death. Saving Yuming is just another way of distracting herself from her pain. And Yuming realizes that even though her grandparents are gone, she can still be self-reliant and find a way to trust others.
Recommended for fans of realistic fiction, especially stories by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Lynda Mullaly Hunt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2016
'Threads' focuses on the lives of two girls, who couldn't be more polar opposites - 12 year old Clara who lives in suburban America, and Yuming, a 13 year old Chinese girl forced to work in a Beijing sweatshop against her will. The initial thread that starts to weave their disparate lives together is a note that Yuming leaves in one of the purses she sews, which Clara finds in a department store in the USA.
Grieving the death of her adopted sister, Lola, a Chinese orphan, Clara becomes determined to save Yuming from slavery, and embarks on a crusade, aided by her parents. Convincing them to fly to China to scatter her sister's ashes, Clara has an ulterior motive of trying to find Yuming's pink factory. At this point the story veers into slightly too many coincidences for my liking, with multiple close encounters between the two girls. With a subject matter this serious, the storyline needs to be watertight and believable, and this just drifted away from that too much for my liking.
It's a shame, because there is a really solid and important story to be told here, there's just too much distraction for it to be the main focus of the reader. I guess my threads weren't long enough to adequately suspend my disbelief.
Grieving the death of her adopted sister, Lola, a Chinese orphan, Clara becomes determined to save Yuming from slavery, and embarks on a crusade, aided by her parents. Convincing them to fly to China to scatter her sister's ashes, Clara has an ulterior motive of trying to find Yuming's pink factory. At this point the story veers into slightly too many coincidences for my liking, with multiple close encounters between the two girls. With a subject matter this serious, the storyline needs to be watertight and believable, and this just drifted away from that too much for my liking.
It's a shame, because there is a really solid and important story to be told here, there's just too much distraction for it to be the main focus of the reader. I guess my threads weren't long enough to adequately suspend my disbelief.
August 3, 2016
I enjoyed the journey of how Ami Polonsky was able to thread these two girls' story lines together into a compelling story of dealing with loss, families, hardship and friendship. Both main characters were well developed and I was rooting for them both. What a great premise for alternating POV story--an American girl finds a picture and a note inside a handbag from a Chinese girl being forced to work in the factory that made the bag. I thought she tied up the threads nicely too without being too perfect or too unbelievable. Appropriate for 3rd or 4th grade and older and for classroom discussion on a wide range of issues and character traits. I am curious - how realistic or fact-based is the story of the Chinese factory owner forcing children into slave labor? I might like some more in the author's note at the end regarding child labor in China or elsewhere or about cheap clothes from cheap stores being made by sweatshop labor--something more to investigate after reading this story.
September 12, 2017
This book plot intrigued me and although I liked it, I felt let down by the ending. It was neat to see the instances of the two main characters crossing paths but, I wanted them to actually meet up! The last scene in the park would have been the perfect chance to create an incredibly moving scene of the two girls meeting. However, I am glad that both girls got their own happy endings. Clara seemed to have found the closure she needed for the tragic loss of her beloved sister. And Yuming was able to escape factory life and hopefully restart a better life. It was definitely interesting to glimpse into the factory conditions for under age Chinese child laborers. Also, I was reading this to decide on whether I would use if for middle school book club. While I liked it, decided not to use on instinct. My kids want a different kind of read. But......loved the idea behind this novel.
November 28, 2016
Ami Polonsky, the author of Gracefully Grayson, has written another lovely book, this time telling the story of two very different girls developing the strength and fortitude they need, while also gently exposing readers to the horrors of human trafficking (in this case, imprisoned child labor in a Beijing purse factory.). Inspiring, with a well-earned happier ending for both Yuming and for Clara.
August 18, 2020
I truly liked this book. I was legit smiling through the entire thing. It wasn't long either so it was a quick read. Something I didn't like though was the texting between the characters in the ACR I got it was all smudged and it was sometimes hard to tell who wrote what. Something that would make it better would have to the messages on the different sides of the page to really separate who said what.
But all in all a super cute book about nonbinary questions.
But all in all a super cute book about nonbinary questions.
February 20, 2021
This was a really sweet love story, that touched upon so many themes Middle Schoolers will relate to (older teens and adults as well.) Ollie and Essie were so well written you could really connect to their stories and their desires to be seen as the genuine people they are. Life is complex and so are people, and Ami Polonsky’s book once again reminds us that complexity is good and beautiful and we should embrace it. I will definitely be recommending this book!
December 14, 2016
It's not a white savior story!!
And, it's quite good, to boot.
And, it's quite good, to boot.
December 1, 2017
When young Clara entered the mall on that swelteringly hot day, yearning for the coolness of the air conditioning and something to take her mind off of the loss of her older sister, she didn't expect to leave feeling changed. After dodging her friend in an attempt to garner some peace and quiet, Clara found herself idly browsing the handbag section of the department store. After plunging her hand into an expensive purse on a whim, she finds a note crumbled in an inside pocket next to a well-worn photograph of another young girl and what appears to be her family.
The note is a desperate and intense plea for help. Yuming lives in China, somewhere in the country outside of Beijing, and her hastily scribbled letter describes a horror. The girl claims to have been kidnapped and put to work in a factory equipped with less-than-savory conditions, and her words implore the reader to help if they can. According to Yuming, there are 22 children working in this particular factory, all of them sewing for more hours a day than they sleep, and all kept in a basement with no windows and little to no food. They are forced to chase rest on concrete floors, huddled together like too many animals in too small a cage. They are threatened, whipped, and degraded.
Clara is no stranger to China, but her view of the country had been much different from what Yuming has described. Clara has seen China in its glory -- all fancy hotels and well-laid dinner tables. Her older sister, the beautiful and sassy Lola, hailed from China. She'd been left in a basket as a newborn baby and subsequently adopted into Clara's family the same week that Clara was born weeks early. The girls had grown up side by side, as close as any blood sisters could ever be, and the loss felt now that Lola has passed away is so acute that Clara can barely get through the day. The cancer came back and it came back quick, snuffing out the life inside of Lola like so many blown out candles on a birthday cake.
So when Clara sees an opportunity to do something for a young girl in China, she also sees in it a chance to help her sister. Where Clara couldn't beat the cancer that riddled Lola's body in its cruel and unusual way, she can perhaps rescue Yuming from this horrific situation, and pay tribute to to her sister in the process. Spurred onward by a realistic apparition of her younger sister, Clara begins to make plans.
After convincing her parents to travel back to China in search of closure and redemption, Clara plots and schemes her way into the countryside of North Beijing, searching for a pink factory with a basement full of children. In it, she hopes to find Yuming and reunite the girl with the family smiling up at her from the crinkled photograph. Clara feels a unique kinship with the girl she's never met, and is determined to bring about a happy ending.
But as Clara is making her way to the other side of the world and dodging tourists along the Great Wall, Yuming has a plan of her own. Along with a couple of pickpockets and another girl from the factory, they've fled the dangerous claws of their captor and are on a race against time and space as they try and make their way home. Not accustomed to life on the streets, Yuming has to think quickly on her feet, never knowing who to trust or who to rely on. The man who kidnapped her and imprisoned her against her will is literally lurking around every corner, doing his best to catch her and throw her back in the dungeon-esque sewing room back at the factory. But as Yuming begins to see things for the reality that they are and learns to believe in her instincts, she will become stronger and braver than she ever thought possible.
Threads is the second novel by Ami Polonsky, an author best known for her widely successful and critically acclaimed novel about a girl trying to break free from a boy's body, Gracefully Grayson. Geared towards the mid-grade reader, Threads is a perfect mixture of allowing one's intuition to guide them, doing the right thing, handling loss, and taking a measured risk. While the subject matter is a very real device of malicious intent in today's age and time, it is not too mature for readers in this genre and is in fact an educational resource. The two characters of Clara and Yuming are richly drawn, and their parallel storylines are heartbreakingly beautiful. Paired with a nefarious and unsettling slew of villains and a couple of understanding parents, the story is rounded out with supporting characters who are just as real and important as the main ones.
Giving the short novel 4.5 out of 5 stars as a rating, I recommend it to readers ages 10+ and any teacher/librarian looking to add something substantial to their classroom or library. As far as cultural diversity goes, Threads is a well-thought out attempt at bridging a careful gap. I recommend it to readers who have enjoyed books like The Bone Sparrow or When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.
The note is a desperate and intense plea for help. Yuming lives in China, somewhere in the country outside of Beijing, and her hastily scribbled letter describes a horror. The girl claims to have been kidnapped and put to work in a factory equipped with less-than-savory conditions, and her words implore the reader to help if they can. According to Yuming, there are 22 children working in this particular factory, all of them sewing for more hours a day than they sleep, and all kept in a basement with no windows and little to no food. They are forced to chase rest on concrete floors, huddled together like too many animals in too small a cage. They are threatened, whipped, and degraded.
Clara is no stranger to China, but her view of the country had been much different from what Yuming has described. Clara has seen China in its glory -- all fancy hotels and well-laid dinner tables. Her older sister, the beautiful and sassy Lola, hailed from China. She'd been left in a basket as a newborn baby and subsequently adopted into Clara's family the same week that Clara was born weeks early. The girls had grown up side by side, as close as any blood sisters could ever be, and the loss felt now that Lola has passed away is so acute that Clara can barely get through the day. The cancer came back and it came back quick, snuffing out the life inside of Lola like so many blown out candles on a birthday cake.
So when Clara sees an opportunity to do something for a young girl in China, she also sees in it a chance to help her sister. Where Clara couldn't beat the cancer that riddled Lola's body in its cruel and unusual way, she can perhaps rescue Yuming from this horrific situation, and pay tribute to to her sister in the process. Spurred onward by a realistic apparition of her younger sister, Clara begins to make plans.
After convincing her parents to travel back to China in search of closure and redemption, Clara plots and schemes her way into the countryside of North Beijing, searching for a pink factory with a basement full of children. In it, she hopes to find Yuming and reunite the girl with the family smiling up at her from the crinkled photograph. Clara feels a unique kinship with the girl she's never met, and is determined to bring about a happy ending.
But as Clara is making her way to the other side of the world and dodging tourists along the Great Wall, Yuming has a plan of her own. Along with a couple of pickpockets and another girl from the factory, they've fled the dangerous claws of their captor and are on a race against time and space as they try and make their way home. Not accustomed to life on the streets, Yuming has to think quickly on her feet, never knowing who to trust or who to rely on. The man who kidnapped her and imprisoned her against her will is literally lurking around every corner, doing his best to catch her and throw her back in the dungeon-esque sewing room back at the factory. But as Yuming begins to see things for the reality that they are and learns to believe in her instincts, she will become stronger and braver than she ever thought possible.
Threads is the second novel by Ami Polonsky, an author best known for her widely successful and critically acclaimed novel about a girl trying to break free from a boy's body, Gracefully Grayson. Geared towards the mid-grade reader, Threads is a perfect mixture of allowing one's intuition to guide them, doing the right thing, handling loss, and taking a measured risk. While the subject matter is a very real device of malicious intent in today's age and time, it is not too mature for readers in this genre and is in fact an educational resource. The two characters of Clara and Yuming are richly drawn, and their parallel storylines are heartbreakingly beautiful. Paired with a nefarious and unsettling slew of villains and a couple of understanding parents, the story is rounded out with supporting characters who are just as real and important as the main ones.
Giving the short novel 4.5 out of 5 stars as a rating, I recommend it to readers ages 10+ and any teacher/librarian looking to add something substantial to their classroom or library. As far as cultural diversity goes, Threads is a well-thought out attempt at bridging a careful gap. I recommend it to readers who have enjoyed books like The Bone Sparrow or When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.
March 20, 2024
Clara, 12, is grieving for her sister who died from cancer. In an effort to help Clara, Clara’s mother arranges for Clara to go to the mall with a friend. Once at the mall, however, Clara finds she cannot cope with her friend’s chatter, so she calls her dad to come pick her up. While she waits for her dad, Clara idly looks through purses in an upscale department store. In one of the purses, she unzips the inside pocket and finds a note and a picture. The note reads “To Whom It May Concern: Please, we need help!” It goes on to say that 20 children are being forced to work for little food and no comfort in a purse factory in China. Thus begins Threads by Ami Polonsky.
Clara is the perfect person to find this note because her sister Lola who died of cancer had been adopted into the family from China. Clara, Lola, and their parents have traveled to China. Clara feels she must do something to help the children who are trapped. When she tells her parents about the note and the picture, they call the Chinese Embassy and report the problem. The next day, they take the note and the picture to a woman who appears to be disinterested at best.
Clara feels certain the woman at the Embassy will do nothing. Even though money is tight, she persuades her parents that they must go to China and see if they can help rescue the children.
The story is deeply emotional. While Clara and her parents may not directly save the children, they do set in motion the events which will lead to their being saved. Meanwhile, Yuming, who wrote the note, manages to escape the terrible warehouse where the children are forced to work in unspeakable conditions. Brothers Kai and Li along with Jing, another friend, also go with Yuming. They face several dangers. Although Yuming and Jing have never been homeless, Kai and his brother have, so Kai shows them how to survive on the streets.
The story will captivate readers’ imaginations. It does not neatly wrap up the story, but it does show that there is hope for the children.
Clara is the perfect person to find this note because her sister Lola who died of cancer had been adopted into the family from China. Clara, Lola, and their parents have traveled to China. Clara feels she must do something to help the children who are trapped. When she tells her parents about the note and the picture, they call the Chinese Embassy and report the problem. The next day, they take the note and the picture to a woman who appears to be disinterested at best.
Clara feels certain the woman at the Embassy will do nothing. Even though money is tight, she persuades her parents that they must go to China and see if they can help rescue the children.
The story is deeply emotional. While Clara and her parents may not directly save the children, they do set in motion the events which will lead to their being saved. Meanwhile, Yuming, who wrote the note, manages to escape the terrible warehouse where the children are forced to work in unspeakable conditions. Brothers Kai and Li along with Jing, another friend, also go with Yuming. They face several dangers. Although Yuming and Jing have never been homeless, Kai and his brother have, so Kai shows them how to survive on the streets.
The story will captivate readers’ imaginations. It does not neatly wrap up the story, but it does show that there is hope for the children.
July 15, 2017
Threads is a lovely book that explores separation and grieving, and unexpected connections. It focuses on Clara and Yuming as their lives become unexpectedly intertwined.
Both Clara and Yuming are dealing with substantial life changes after the deaths of family members. Their narratives explore how their loved ones are permanently interwoven into their lives despite death, separated but inseparable. Clara's story focuses on her grieving process, while Yuming's story is even more complicated. Yuming is left without a caregiver and subsequently kidnapped and forced into child labor in a factory, her story not only explores her grieving process, but also her will to survive as she develops new meaningful relationships.
While Threads touches on the horrible conditions of factory workers and other social problems, the book doesn't explore the concepts in much depth. Threads is more focused on Clara's and Yuming's journeys and character growth rather than being a harangue denouncing consumerism and exploitive labor. But this is the beauty of fiction, it is meant to be about people and Threads is very much about Clara and Yuming. Fiction for young people should introduce ideas and problems, not lecture, then young people can lead the conversation with parents or educators to find out more when they are curious and ready.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Both Clara and Yuming are dealing with substantial life changes after the deaths of family members. Their narratives explore how their loved ones are permanently interwoven into their lives despite death, separated but inseparable. Clara's story focuses on her grieving process, while Yuming's story is even more complicated. Yuming is left without a caregiver and subsequently kidnapped and forced into child labor in a factory, her story not only explores her grieving process, but also her will to survive as she develops new meaningful relationships.
While Threads touches on the horrible conditions of factory workers and other social problems, the book doesn't explore the concepts in much depth. Threads is more focused on Clara's and Yuming's journeys and character growth rather than being a harangue denouncing consumerism and exploitive labor. But this is the beauty of fiction, it is meant to be about people and Threads is very much about Clara and Yuming. Fiction for young people should introduce ideas and problems, not lecture, then young people can lead the conversation with parents or educators to find out more when they are curious and ready.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
August 25, 2017
When twelve-year-old Clara finds a desperate note in department store purse, she is mourning the death of her adopted sister, Lola. Then she realizes the note comes from a factory in China and is struck by the coincidence of losing her Chinese sister and having an opportunity to help a girl in China her own age.
By the time Clara finds the message, thirteen-year-old Yuming has lost hope the note she stashed in the purse she sewed will ever be found, and she will be stuck in the pink factory outside of Beijing forever. After being kidnapped off the streets, she works in harsh conditions with barely enough food or rest to survive.
Clara is convinced she was meant to find Yuming's note and that Lola would have wanted her to help the girl in China. But talking her parents into flying across the ocean again seems impossible.
At the time when Yuming attempts a daring escape, Clara is on her way to find the pink factory and rescue her.
This is a fast-paced novel with two strong female characters and plenty of action. I was a little creeped out by Lola's "spirit" telling Clara what to do and intruding on the plot. Yuming's story was the more compelling and adventurous of the two. Middle grade girls are sure to enjoy this story.
By the time Clara finds the message, thirteen-year-old Yuming has lost hope the note she stashed in the purse she sewed will ever be found, and she will be stuck in the pink factory outside of Beijing forever. After being kidnapped off the streets, she works in harsh conditions with barely enough food or rest to survive.
Clara is convinced she was meant to find Yuming's note and that Lola would have wanted her to help the girl in China. But talking her parents into flying across the ocean again seems impossible.
At the time when Yuming attempts a daring escape, Clara is on her way to find the pink factory and rescue her.
This is a fast-paced novel with two strong female characters and plenty of action. I was a little creeped out by Lola's "spirit" telling Clara what to do and intruding on the plot. Yuming's story was the more compelling and adventurous of the two. Middle grade girls are sure to enjoy this story.
February 25, 2019
Yuming lives in China, and after her grandparents pass away she heads out to find her brother to let him know when she gets kidnapped and taken to a purse making factory where she is forced to work and live. She takes a risk and writes a letter about her situation and tucks it in one of the purses. Clara lives in the American Midwest and finds the note while she's looking at purses at a local store. Since her sister is adopted from China, Clara immediately feels attached to Yuming and wants to help her. Clara's sister's recent passing (and Clara seeing/feeling her nearby) spurs her idea to convince her parents to go on a trip to China.
I don't want to give away too much, but just know that I was immediately hooked on this book and even book talked it to my class when I was about half way thr0ugh. This book is told through alternating narrators, something I love, and that just added to my enjoyment. As a reader, I was pulling for both girls during their different adventures. And, while it didn't necessarily end how I thought it would, the "small world," path-crossing situations were a wonderful addition.
I don't want to give away too much, but just know that I was immediately hooked on this book and even book talked it to my class when I was about half way thr0ugh. This book is told through alternating narrators, something I love, and that just added to my enjoyment. As a reader, I was pulling for both girls during their different adventures. And, while it didn't necessarily end how I thought it would, the "small world," path-crossing situations were a wonderful addition.
April 24, 2021
CW: Death, mild violence, mentions of blood, hospitals and medical trauma, kidnapping
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Wow. This book was truly moving. I picked it up by chance at the library because of how beautiful the cover was and man. It's true what they say; the contents of the novel were even MORE stunning. This book is a true page turner through and through and there were of course tears shed throughout. This seems like a book all younger people should read in school to learn compassion and hope and that we are all connected to each other with invisible threads. Aside from being very heartfelt the book also discusses grief in two opposed ways. One person, Yuming, dealing with the loss of her grandparents through keeping them with her always and reminding her of how strong she is and with Clara grieving the loss of her sister through keeping her with her since she does not feel strong enough on her own. While Yuming has had to learn to trust again, Clara has had to learn how to live on her own. Both journeys fantastic and tragic. This book was phenomenal. Definitely one of the best ones I have read for 2020.
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Wow. This book was truly moving. I picked it up by chance at the library because of how beautiful the cover was and man. It's true what they say; the contents of the novel were even MORE stunning. This book is a true page turner through and through and there were of course tears shed throughout. This seems like a book all younger people should read in school to learn compassion and hope and that we are all connected to each other with invisible threads. Aside from being very heartfelt the book also discusses grief in two opposed ways. One person, Yuming, dealing with the loss of her grandparents through keeping them with her always and reminding her of how strong she is and with Clara grieving the loss of her sister through keeping her with her since she does not feel strong enough on her own. While Yuming has had to learn to trust again, Clara has had to learn how to live on her own. Both journeys fantastic and tragic. This book was phenomenal. Definitely one of the best ones I have read for 2020.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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