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A Secret Shared
Patricia MacLachlan paints a portrait of what it means to be a family, the power of love, and the importance of bringing the truth out into the light, in this story about adoption.
Nora and Ben’s younger sister Birdy loves to keep secrets. She surprises her family more than once: She hides a kitten in her room. She writes a beautiful poem. One day Birdy watches her mother spit into a tube, ready to send it off to find out more about herself and where her family came from. Birdy spits into a tube, too, when no one sees her.
But when the test results come back, they are a surprise. Birdy is seemingly not related to Nora and Ben’s parents. But if she is adopted, how could that have happened without the children knowing?
Nora and Ben must learn when to keep a secret, and who to go to for help—and eventually, how to solve this secret for the entire family.
Nora and Ben’s younger sister Birdy loves to keep secrets. She surprises her family more than once: She hides a kitten in her room. She writes a beautiful poem. One day Birdy watches her mother spit into a tube, ready to send it off to find out more about herself and where her family came from. Birdy spits into a tube, too, when no one sees her.
But when the test results come back, they are a surprise. Birdy is seemingly not related to Nora and Ben’s parents. But if she is adopted, how could that have happened without the children knowing?
Nora and Ben must learn when to keep a secret, and who to go to for help—and eventually, how to solve this secret for the entire family.
145 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 2021
5 people are currently reading
1732 people want to read
About the author
Patricia MacLachlan
125 books806 followersPatricia MacLachlan was born on the prairie, and always carried a small bag of prairie dirt with her wherever she went to remind her of what she knew first. She was the author of many well-loved novels and picture books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal; its sequels, Skylark and Caleb's Story; and Three Names, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. She lived in western Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
May 22, 2022
A SECRET SHARED is a sweet middle grade story about adoption and the meaning of family. Twins Nora and Ben discover that their little sister Birdy has different ancestry than they do from a secret DNA test. If Birdy isn't their biological sister, then where did she come from, and why are their parents hiding the truth?
I liked the message that family goes beyond DNA, and it's best to be upfront about things because the truth has a way of coming to light. I wish there had been more character development and more emotion given the situation. I also thought the parent/child dynamic was a little odd. I just can't believe Gen Alpha kids would interact with their parents like they do in this book. They seemed rather old-fashioned? This book would probably be best for the youngest middle grade readers as it's written pretty simply and straightforward. Nice message but felt lacking in depth. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the message that family goes beyond DNA, and it's best to be upfront about things because the truth has a way of coming to light. I wish there had been more character development and more emotion given the situation. I also thought the parent/child dynamic was a little odd. I just can't believe Gen Alpha kids would interact with their parents like they do in this book. They seemed rather old-fashioned? This book would probably be best for the youngest middle grade readers as it's written pretty simply and straightforward. Nice message but felt lacking in depth. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2021
Short and sweet. MacLachlan takes spare prose and bits of poetry and says profound things about secrets. The art of keeping a secret is difficult. Knowing when to share and with whom can be an almost impossible task. When that sneaky secret gets out to the wrong person, then what they do adds to the level of difficulty. Nora and Ben are twins. They discover a secret about their little sister Birdy. Who can help them decide what to do? This book puts a modern twist on the subject of adoption with DNA testing spilling the beans. Their mother is a former poet who now writes a weekly column for the local newspaper. I loved her pithy contributions and the fan mail. I know I am in the minority on this one, but I believe it is a 5-star read. Looking forward to seeing more reviews and find out if anyone agrees with me.
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2021
Wish all family secrets shared turned out this beautifully where it truly doesn't matter where you came from.
November 6, 2021
A Secret Shared
Patricia MacLachlan
So, Nora and Ben accidentally learn a family secret and then do not know what exactly to do with it. After the mom takes a DNA test, Birdy, the youngest child in the family spits in a tube and includes it in the test package. The DNA company processes both, and Nora and Ben find the results. This seems to be a family with considerable secrets, Birdy has a kitten she has hidden in her room, who wouldn't know there was a cat in the house?
I think that the book was ok, good for middle schoolers to learn about family dynamics. Not every child has to be born into a family to be family. Nora and Ben seemed a bit older than their 8-year-old self and Birdy seemed a bit younger than a 6-year-old. So noting that my main concern is that Ben was able to get his mom's credit card and get the second DNA test completed... and it seemed ok.
3 stars
Happy Reading!
Patricia MacLachlan
So, Nora and Ben accidentally learn a family secret and then do not know what exactly to do with it. After the mom takes a DNA test, Birdy, the youngest child in the family spits in a tube and includes it in the test package. The DNA company processes both, and Nora and Ben find the results. This seems to be a family with considerable secrets, Birdy has a kitten she has hidden in her room, who wouldn't know there was a cat in the house?
I think that the book was ok, good for middle schoolers to learn about family dynamics. Not every child has to be born into a family to be family. Nora and Ben seemed a bit older than their 8-year-old self and Birdy seemed a bit younger than a 6-year-old. So noting that my main concern is that Ben was able to get his mom's credit card and get the second DNA test completed... and it seemed ok.
3 stars
Happy Reading!
June 9, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for an audio arc!
A Shared Secret is a middle grade story about twins Nora and Ben and their younger sister Birdy. Through the results of a DNA test, Ben and Nora realize that Birdy does not share the same ancestry as their parents, and they begin uncovering the secrets their parents have been hiding.
So I read MacLachlan's Sarah, Plain and Tall when I was in elementary school, and that kind of story was my jam as a kid who loved historical fiction. Reading this book, I felt like MacLachlan does not feel comfortable writing in a contemporary setting. Nora refers to her mom and dad as Mother and Father, which definitely sticks out as antiquated and unnatural. There's also an outdated method of storytelling where the narration is basically "We did this. Then we did this. We went to this place. We felt this way," which you could also call the tell instead of show approach. As someone who reads a lot of contemporary middle grade with younger authors, the writing in this book is pretty bland and uncreative.
Having conversations with kids about adoption is absolutely important to depict in middle grade novels especially, and that was the most redeeming aspect of this story for me. This book is just over one hundred pages, though, and that doesn't feel like enough time to establish the characters and relationships that feel authentic. It also drove me crazy that Ben and Nora are at least three years older than Birdy, and they never questioned why their mom wasn't pregnant before Birdy appeared in their lives. Yeah, three-year-olds don't understand the mechanics of pregnancy, but they can understand that a mom has a baby in her belly before the baby is born. I've hung around enough toddlers to know that they grasp that concept, so it's very weird to me that Ben and Nora never questioned why they suddenly had a baby sister without their mom being pregnant.
Another thing that bothered me personally were the mom's "columns" for the newspaper. Her job is a columnist, and her columns are just a series of questions that people answer...it doesn't seem like she synthesizes those answers and writes a reflection as a column; she just asks people to submit answers and then moves to writing very average poetry at the end of the book.
With the lack of developed and interesting characters and a writing style that is super out-of-date, I personally did not enjoy this, and I would honestly not recommend it. I'm sure there are other stories that are sharing the same messages that MacLachlan is conveying in a more interesting and technically better way.
A Shared Secret is a middle grade story about twins Nora and Ben and their younger sister Birdy. Through the results of a DNA test, Ben and Nora realize that Birdy does not share the same ancestry as their parents, and they begin uncovering the secrets their parents have been hiding.
So I read MacLachlan's Sarah, Plain and Tall when I was in elementary school, and that kind of story was my jam as a kid who loved historical fiction. Reading this book, I felt like MacLachlan does not feel comfortable writing in a contemporary setting. Nora refers to her mom and dad as Mother and Father, which definitely sticks out as antiquated and unnatural. There's also an outdated method of storytelling where the narration is basically "We did this. Then we did this. We went to this place. We felt this way," which you could also call the tell instead of show approach. As someone who reads a lot of contemporary middle grade with younger authors, the writing in this book is pretty bland and uncreative.
Having conversations with kids about adoption is absolutely important to depict in middle grade novels especially, and that was the most redeeming aspect of this story for me. This book is just over one hundred pages, though, and that doesn't feel like enough time to establish the characters and relationships that feel authentic. It also drove me crazy that Ben and Nora are at least three years older than Birdy, and they never questioned why their mom wasn't pregnant before Birdy appeared in their lives. Yeah, three-year-olds don't understand the mechanics of pregnancy, but they can understand that a mom has a baby in her belly before the baby is born. I've hung around enough toddlers to know that they grasp that concept, so it's very weird to me that Ben and Nora never questioned why they suddenly had a baby sister without their mom being pregnant.
Another thing that bothered me personally were the mom's "columns" for the newspaper. Her job is a columnist, and her columns are just a series of questions that people answer...it doesn't seem like she synthesizes those answers and writes a reflection as a column; she just asks people to submit answers and then moves to writing very average poetry at the end of the book.
With the lack of developed and interesting characters and a writing style that is super out-of-date, I personally did not enjoy this, and I would honestly not recommend it. I'm sure there are other stories that are sharing the same messages that MacLachlan is conveying in a more interesting and technically better way.
November 3, 2021
This was an amazingly sweet book about a family coming to terms with a big secret. But, holy cow, were the three kids in the book ridiculously wise and calm! That preternatural wisdom gave this brief story a fable-like quality. Unrealistic, maybe, but sweet and gentle.
December 3, 2021
Ever wonder about what your DNA says about where you’re from? Twins, Nora and Ben’s mother decides to send in her DNA to get a generic history of their ethnicity. Their mom bought two DNA kits, one for herself and one for their father. Their father didn't want to participate so their mom left it on the table. They leave the DNA kits unattended, Nora and Ben’s younger sister spit in the DNA tube and send it away with their mother’s! Few weeks go by and their results are in! Nora and Ben’s mother is beyond excited about their mom’s results. But what surprised the twins the most is the other DNA sample’s results. Their younger sister Birdy is not their blood sister! Find out how the twins cope with the information and how a family secret is revealed. Great realistic fiction for kids who love a family mystery.
This book is also available as a Overdrive/Libby eBook.
Reviewed by: Miss Nessa, Youth and School Services Librarian, Vernon Area Public Library
This book is also available as a Overdrive/Libby eBook.
Reviewed by: Miss Nessa, Youth and School Services Librarian, Vernon Area Public Library
August 28, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an audio ARC.
This is such a cute little short story about adoption, perfect for middle graders.
I absolutely loved all the characters, as well as the story line.
The following points were made and I just love it:
- The truth is always the best option.
- Sometimes adults are wrong when a child is right.
- Family is not always about blood.
- Everyone has secrets.
- You are never too old to find a new talent.
This is such a cute little short story about adoption, perfect for middle graders.
I absolutely loved all the characters, as well as the story line.
The following points were made and I just love it:
- The truth is always the best option.
- Sometimes adults are wrong when a child is right.
- Family is not always about blood.
- Everyone has secrets.
- You are never too old to find a new talent.
November 16, 2021
Lots of love in this little story. Very artistic and poetic. Love working next to a library... finding little gems like this is a treasure.
November 23, 2021
Sarah, Plain and Tall.
It has been decades since I had seen that movie but it made a huge impact on me. To see Patricia MacLachlan's name as the author of this book easily drew my attention. I got this ARC as a digitized audiobook for review and found it to be a delightful read.
Birdy sees her mother spitting in a tube. Her mother explains why she did it. This raises Birdy's curiosity and so she sneaks and does it. This gives opportunity to let Birdy learn that she is adopted. She has always felt loved by her parents and by her siblings Nora and Ben. However, as a child who already kept secrets, how will she keep this one?
There are many, many blended families, families brought together by adoption. There are mixes of birth children and adopted children. This book would be a wonderful read to teach children why adoption is so valuable. So necessary. It would also be a good tool to prove that love transcends any lines. That secrets are not always necessary. That truth might make things easier.
If Nora and Ben learn Birdy's secret will this keep the family close or will this fracture them?
Many thanks to Katherine Tegen Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Birdy sees her mother spitting in a tube. Her mother explains why she did it. This raises Birdy's curiosity and so she sneaks and does it. This gives opportunity to let Birdy learn that she is adopted. She has always felt loved by her parents and by her siblings Nora and Ben. However, as a child who already kept secrets, how will she keep this one?
There are many, many blended families, families brought together by adoption. There are mixes of birth children and adopted children. This book would be a wonderful read to teach children why adoption is so valuable. So necessary. It would also be a good tool to prove that love transcends any lines. That secrets are not always necessary. That truth might make things easier.
If Nora and Ben learn Birdy's secret will this keep the family close or will this fracture them?
Many thanks to Katherine Tegen Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
May 19, 2021
First sentence: I watch my mother spit into a plastic tube. A pot of fresh flowers sits on her desk. Every week she walks to the cemetery to put flowers on the grave of her best friend from childhood. “Flowers and spit?!” I say to her with a grin. “Funny combination! Why the tube?”
Premise/plot: Nora and Ben (twins) find out a family secret (about their sibling, Birdy). Should they share the secret? Is it their place to tell?
My thoughts: I typically love Patricia MacLachlan. I do. I had very high hopes for her newest book. I think that is where it gets tricky as a reader. Expectations set too high lead to disappointment in varying degrees. Expectations set too low and you might put off reading a book for weeks, months, years. Still, I typically *try* to keep expectations low. Primarily because then you can be surprised and really get the most out of a book. But it's hard to do with a favorite author. As you might have guessed I was slightly disappointed by this one.
It is a quiet, slow-paced family novel. The plot--if it moves at all--moves very slowly. I do typically love, love, love character driven novels. So the fact that it's a slow, somewhat more mindful book shouldn't have put me off--in theory at least.
I think what did put me off was the number of times I had to suspend my disbelief and how the plot hinges on some somewhat implausible things happening time and time again. Particularly surrounding the DNA test. As an adult I wanted more details in places. (But at the same time I think unpacking those details would have been tedious for the actual target audience to read.) But the general idea is oh you spit a little in a tube, put it an envelope, and a few days later, poof, you get a piece of paper back.
Would these little things add up if I was reading this as a child? I'm not sure. I'm not.
One thing I did like was how the mother's column often asked questions for her readers. And MacLachlan, of course, shares some of those responses. One column was about love or falling in love? And this was one of the responses. I loved it.
I met my husband in the backseat of the car driving us to preschool. We held hands between our car seats. We have never stopped.—Rose
Patricia MacLachlan is still a solid writer. This one just isn't my favorite of her books.
Premise/plot: Nora and Ben (twins) find out a family secret (about their sibling, Birdy). Should they share the secret? Is it their place to tell?
My thoughts: I typically love Patricia MacLachlan. I do. I had very high hopes for her newest book. I think that is where it gets tricky as a reader. Expectations set too high lead to disappointment in varying degrees. Expectations set too low and you might put off reading a book for weeks, months, years. Still, I typically *try* to keep expectations low. Primarily because then you can be surprised and really get the most out of a book. But it's hard to do with a favorite author. As you might have guessed I was slightly disappointed by this one.
It is a quiet, slow-paced family novel. The plot--if it moves at all--moves very slowly. I do typically love, love, love character driven novels. So the fact that it's a slow, somewhat more mindful book shouldn't have put me off--in theory at least.
I think what did put me off was the number of times I had to suspend my disbelief and how the plot hinges on some somewhat implausible things happening time and time again. Particularly surrounding the DNA test. As an adult I wanted more details in places. (But at the same time I think unpacking those details would have been tedious for the actual target audience to read.) But the general idea is oh you spit a little in a tube, put it an envelope, and a few days later, poof, you get a piece of paper back.
Would these little things add up if I was reading this as a child? I'm not sure. I'm not.
One thing I did like was how the mother's column often asked questions for her readers. And MacLachlan, of course, shares some of those responses. One column was about love or falling in love? And this was one of the responses. I loved it.
I met my husband in the backseat of the car driving us to preschool. We held hands between our car seats. We have never stopped.—Rose
Patricia MacLachlan is still a solid writer. This one just isn't my favorite of her books.
June 24, 2021
I’ve been reading a lot of rom coms lately which are always full of hilarious and crazy characters and events, and I love them! But sometimes it’s nice to read a more calm book. A Secret Shared has a lot happening in it, but it has the same feeling of being wrapped in a cozy blanket. It’s comforting and a bit nostalgic especially with its older writing style, but it was also sooo wonderful!
When Birdy sees her mother spit in a tube and sends her off, she does the same thing. But when her results come back, it shakes her whole family to its core. This is told from the perspective of Birdy's sister, Nora, and it's a super sweet tale of realizing blood is not necessary to make a family.
This is the same author who wrote Sarah Plain and Tall, and she continues the same writing style in this book. It's almost lyrical, and since their mother is a poet, you get to see some poems as well. I thought the style really highlights the family you learn to love. I love how the parents and how they actually seemed to love each other and their children. . I loved seeing this solid family interact where the parents make mistakes, but they still love each other and their children. The siblings as well were super sweet together, and it all just showed how family is not always blood.
The pacing of this story was fantastic, and it was adorable watching this family figure out what to do with this revelation. One quote I thought was very touching from the book is when one of the teachers asks Nora and Ben, her twin brother, whether it matters if Birdy is adopted. While truths might have needed to come out, in the end, it didn’t really matter whether or not she was adopted. She was their sister even if she wasn’t their blood.
I loved this book! It was short and sweet, and a refreshing change from the normal kids books. It is more old fashioned than normal, but it could help open kids up to different writing styles. I would definitely recommend it to children of any age!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
When Birdy sees her mother spit in a tube and sends her off, she does the same thing. But when her results come back, it shakes her whole family to its core. This is told from the perspective of Birdy's sister, Nora, and it's a super sweet tale of realizing blood is not necessary to make a family.
This is the same author who wrote Sarah Plain and Tall, and she continues the same writing style in this book. It's almost lyrical, and since their mother is a poet, you get to see some poems as well. I thought the style really highlights the family you learn to love. I love how the parents and how they actually seemed to love each other and their children. . I loved seeing this solid family interact where the parents make mistakes, but they still love each other and their children. The siblings as well were super sweet together, and it all just showed how family is not always blood.
The pacing of this story was fantastic, and it was adorable watching this family figure out what to do with this revelation. One quote I thought was very touching from the book is when one of the teachers asks Nora and Ben, her twin brother, whether it matters if Birdy is adopted. While truths might have needed to come out, in the end, it didn’t really matter whether or not she was adopted. She was their sister even if she wasn’t their blood.
I loved this book! It was short and sweet, and a refreshing change from the normal kids books. It is more old fashioned than normal, but it could help open kids up to different writing styles. I would definitely recommend it to children of any age!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
July 21, 2021
First, I would like to thank NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Characters: None of whom are fully developed, we just start to get to know them a little.
Mom - poet, columnist
Dad - artist, professor
Ben and Nora - twins, 4th grade(?), yet they speak and act like middle school/young teens
Birdy - younger sister, Kindergarten or 1st, goes between age appropriate and wise beyond her years
An assortment of minor characters, who start to develop and then fade.
Plot:
While doing a DNA test for her column, the children discover a secret, which throws them into a spiral.
First Mom's columns, they really aren't columns. They are a few sparse sentences with responses from readers.
Dad, I like. Until suddenly, because of the situation, he first tells the youngest he's her true dad and then allows her to call him by his first name. Yet the other 2 never call him by his name, just Dad. I do like some of the wisdom that is seen through his words of art..
Ms. Skylark, the 3rd grade teacher, who we know is so important to Ben and Nora, only has a passing role. Yet she asks the most important question in the entire book - "Is it important?"
I LOVE Patricia MacLachlan's books, until now. I was blessed to meet her at her final public appearance and she has a beautiful soul But this book... I found so lacking. I wanted so much more. I really wanted to get to know the characters, I wanted to see their home and their town, but I never could visualize them. It almost feels like she got started, but then lost momentum and gave the publisher the notes for each chapter.
I don't see my 4th through 6th graders picking this book, and honestly, I don't see me recommending it to them.
Characters: None of whom are fully developed, we just start to get to know them a little.
Mom - poet, columnist
Dad - artist, professor
Ben and Nora - twins, 4th grade(?), yet they speak and act like middle school/young teens
Birdy - younger sister, Kindergarten or 1st, goes between age appropriate and wise beyond her years
An assortment of minor characters, who start to develop and then fade.
Plot:
While doing a DNA test for her column, the children discover a secret, which throws them into a spiral.
First Mom's columns, they really aren't columns. They are a few sparse sentences with responses from readers.
Dad, I like. Until suddenly, because of the situation, he first tells the youngest he's her true dad and then allows her to call him by his first name. Yet the other 2 never call him by his name, just Dad. I do like some of the wisdom that is seen through his words of art..
Ms. Skylark, the 3rd grade teacher, who we know is so important to Ben and Nora, only has a passing role. Yet she asks the most important question in the entire book - "Is it important?"
I LOVE Patricia MacLachlan's books, until now. I was blessed to meet her at her final public appearance and she has a beautiful soul But this book... I found so lacking. I wanted so much more. I really wanted to get to know the characters, I wanted to see their home and their town, but I never could visualize them. It almost feels like she got started, but then lost momentum and gave the publisher the notes for each chapter.
I don't see my 4th through 6th graders picking this book, and honestly, I don't see me recommending it to them.
July 14, 2021
I’m sure there is a market for this kind of book, because why else would so many MG novels follow this asinine trying-for-a-Newberry formula? Soooo boring and cloying. This read like an early reader. Most of the sentences in the book were three to four words. Thank goodness it was short. (Although I wish I would’ve stopped when I first had the impulse.) I received this robot-audio copy from NetGalley for review.
June 2, 2021
This is a sweet middle grade about adoption. I don't know that I'd say I liked it, but it wasn't bad either, I just didn't vibe with it. It felt very stilted and strange. Maybe with a little more length it could've been a memorable book but at this point, I read it a few days ago and forgot everyone's name already.
May 14, 2021
I listened to this with my kids who both really enjoyed it. We all agreed that a couple of the plot points required suspending some belief. But, all in all, this was a cute story of family love.
March 18, 2023
I love how Patricia MacLachlan can say so much in so few words. Much like a poet does. And this story in particular touches on poetry, writing, arts, secrets, adoption, love, death, and family.
September 20, 2024
In her characteristic gentle style, Patricia MacLachlan takes on a subject contemporary to this book's 2021 release: genetic testing. What happens if using a gene analysis service unlocks a shocking secret? Nora Rossi and her twin brother Ben aren't surprised when their mother sends away to have her own genes tested and find out more about the family roots. Mother doesn't realize her younger daughter, Birdy, put her own saliva in a test tube without permission and sent it to the company along with Mother's. When the results come back, Nora and Ben discover Birdy's gene analysis concludes she is of Swedish descent. No one in their family lineage is Scandinavian.
Nora and Ben never suspected Birdy was adopted. Confronting Mother and Father without knowing the facts seems a bad idea, so Ben nonchalantly asks Birdy to spit into another test tube. Without her knowledge they plan on sending it to the company to confirm the first analysis, but their parents pick up on the scheme and want to know what's afoot. All these secrets in a family normally committed to truth sadden Nora and her brother. Is Birdy their real sister? If she's adopted, why was it kept hush-hush? The days ahead will test the Rossi family's unity.
As always, Patricia MacLachlan's writing touch is powderpuff soft, but unlike most of her novels, this one runs off the rails. Birdy's ability to sneak her test tube into the box without either parent knowing is strange, and her filling out the paperwork correctly stretches credulity past the snapping point. Then when the results come in, Mother conveniently doesn't notice the paper showing Birdy's analysis, and lets it flutter to the ground, where Ben picks it up. On another point, the fact that none of the kids' ages are revealed in the story hampers our assessment of how the events should be affecting them. I applaud Patricia MacLachlan for trying a new sort of story, but I only rate A Secret Shared one and a half stars. It isn't thought through adequately.
Nora and Ben never suspected Birdy was adopted. Confronting Mother and Father without knowing the facts seems a bad idea, so Ben nonchalantly asks Birdy to spit into another test tube. Without her knowledge they plan on sending it to the company to confirm the first analysis, but their parents pick up on the scheme and want to know what's afoot. All these secrets in a family normally committed to truth sadden Nora and her brother. Is Birdy their real sister? If she's adopted, why was it kept hush-hush? The days ahead will test the Rossi family's unity.
As always, Patricia MacLachlan's writing touch is powderpuff soft, but unlike most of her novels, this one runs off the rails. Birdy's ability to sneak her test tube into the box without either parent knowing is strange, and her filling out the paperwork correctly stretches credulity past the snapping point. Then when the results come in, Mother conveniently doesn't notice the paper showing Birdy's analysis, and lets it flutter to the ground, where Ben picks it up. On another point, the fact that none of the kids' ages are revealed in the story hampers our assessment of how the events should be affecting them. I applaud Patricia MacLachlan for trying a new sort of story, but I only rate A Secret Shared one and a half stars. It isn't thought through adequately.
December 16, 2024
A gem of a little book. Very poetic (it also has small poems inside too, told by the mother) and artistic (also found in the book thanks to their artistic dad). This story is the first I've read where the premise is about a child named Birdie who was adopted and what sort of secret her parents were trying to hide.
Birdie is a very likeable character. Not sure how old but in the cover photo, I'd say 5 while her sister and brother look more like 8, maybe even 10. The mom and father are very loving parents and when the story unravels, it brought a tear to my eye. I really have never read a book about how a child is told that they're actually adopted. Especially with a child this young.
The only downside I'll say is that there is no conflict. If keeping a secret is the only conflict, then it's tame and non-confrontational in a traditional sense of story telling. But it's bittersweet. Just not as believable based on the two other children acting overly loving (growing up with sibling friends, they never acted this loving towards one another ever), and how Birdie reacts to the news of being adopted.
Honestly 4.5/5 for me. I think this is a great book to read to a child who's been adopted or if your kid has friends who were adopted, this could make them happy to read and connect more with a character like Birdie.
Birdie is a very likeable character. Not sure how old but in the cover photo, I'd say 5 while her sister and brother look more like 8, maybe even 10. The mom and father are very loving parents and when the story unravels, it brought a tear to my eye. I really have never read a book about how a child is told that they're actually adopted. Especially with a child this young.
The only downside I'll say is that there is no conflict. If keeping a secret is the only conflict, then it's tame and non-confrontational in a traditional sense of story telling. But it's bittersweet. Just not as believable based on the two other children acting overly loving (growing up with sibling friends, they never acted this loving towards one another ever), and how Birdie reacts to the news of being adopted.
Honestly 4.5/5 for me. I think this is a great book to read to a child who's been adopted or if your kid has friends who were adopted, this could make them happy to read and connect more with a character like Birdie.
May 14, 2022
This was a sweet and gentle family story, told in the voice of Nora, one of a pair of twins, the other of which is Ben. They also have a younger sister, Birdy. Their parents are sort of free spirits, the mother a poet and columnist for a local newspaper, and the father an artist in several different mediums. When their mother sends off her spit in a tube to an unnamed company (but like 23 and Me), Birdy secretly includes some of her spit, in a separate tube. When the results come back in an envelope, and Mother is reading hers, another paper falls out of the envelope, which Nora snatches up (without Mother's knowledge), and reads Birdy's results. While Mother is Irish, and Father is Italian, Birdy is Swedish. And so begins the uncovering of some family secrets. I thought it was well-written, and there are poems scattered throughout. The characters sounded like people I would like to know personally. This book would be good for readers about 3rd--5th grade; younger for reading aloud.
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May 14, 2021Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for this audio arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. I’ll post that review upon publication.
September 27, 2021
I read a few reviews for A Secret Shared prior to writing my own, and that’s left me wondering if we read the same book. Author Patricia MacLachlan is known for her middle-grade books (Sarah, Plain and Tall; Skylark; Wonderous Rex). Her books tend to be quiet and short, often less than 100 pages.
A Secret Shared is a bit longer (160 pages), yet reviewers have said there’s not enough depth. And I think that’s where they get it wrong. The magic of so many middle-grade books happens when the authors leave breathing space. They don’t get lost in the details. And that’s what MacLachlan does.
Yes, A Secret Shared is quiet. Yes, it’s fairly simple. I’d even go so far as to say that it’s better suited for ages 7-10, but that doesn’t make it bad.
The other major complaint I saw was about MacLachlan’s treatment of adoption and how things should be. That’s like saying there’s only one good way to be a family. Everyone’s circumstances are different, and this book is an exploration of one family’s approach. And it’s a heartfelt one at that.
A Secret Shared will not appeal to everyone. There’s not a lot of action. There’s no fantasy. But it is an excellent look at family and celebrating truth, even when it’s hard.
A Secret Shared is a bit longer (160 pages), yet reviewers have said there’s not enough depth. And I think that’s where they get it wrong. The magic of so many middle-grade books happens when the authors leave breathing space. They don’t get lost in the details. And that’s what MacLachlan does.
Yes, A Secret Shared is quiet. Yes, it’s fairly simple. I’d even go so far as to say that it’s better suited for ages 7-10, but that doesn’t make it bad.
The other major complaint I saw was about MacLachlan’s treatment of adoption and how things should be. That’s like saying there’s only one good way to be a family. Everyone’s circumstances are different, and this book is an exploration of one family’s approach. And it’s a heartfelt one at that.
A Secret Shared will not appeal to everyone. There’s not a lot of action. There’s no fantasy. But it is an excellent look at family and celebrating truth, even when it’s hard.
June 30, 2021
Children are often aware of the presence of family secrets, even when they don't know what those secrets are or what they mean. The gentle family story, A Secret Shared, revolves around a family with multiple secrets.
I wanted to like this book, but it was *too* quiet and gentle for me. None of it felt realistic in the least. The children's ages were ambiguous, the parents' relationships with each other and with their children felt saccharine-sweet, and the mother's newspaper column felt like a throwback to the 1950s. I found myself searching for a main plot-line among each character's development over the span of the book, but it felt too disjointed.
I have been a fan of Patricia MacLachlan's books in the past and I won't stop. But this won't be a book I recommend. It might work, perhaps, as a read-aloud for early elementary aged kids.
I wanted to like this book, but it was *too* quiet and gentle for me. None of it felt realistic in the least. The children's ages were ambiguous, the parents' relationships with each other and with their children felt saccharine-sweet, and the mother's newspaper column felt like a throwback to the 1950s. I found myself searching for a main plot-line among each character's development over the span of the book, but it felt too disjointed.
I have been a fan of Patricia MacLachlan's books in the past and I won't stop. But this won't be a book I recommend. It might work, perhaps, as a read-aloud for early elementary aged kids.
June 8, 2021
In this audiobook by Patricia MacLachlan, when a family sends away their DNA samples, the older children learn the secret that their younger sister is not related to them. I was not a big fan of this book for several reason. To start with, the premise that the mother was sending away everyone's spit for DNA analysis so she could write an article was very tenuous at best. Also, although not stated in the book, the younger sister looks 4 years old on the cover but acts like 8 going on 80 in the book. The whole family was so saccharine sweet and unrealistic to me. Finally, nothing really happens in the book. There is no action. For these reasons I gave it a 3, but it could honestly be 2.5.
June 14, 2021
Patricia MacLachlan has a talent for writing books about topics important to kids. In A Secret Shared, twin siblings Nora and Ben discover that their beloved little sister Birdy was adopted. They feel betrayed by their parents, who have kept this a secret all of Birdy's life. The story also shows the transformation of their mother into someone more emotionally open as her secrets are revealed. This is a short book, yet we get to know each member of this family and can appreciate the family dynamics. This is a terrific short novel (160 pages) for children ready to begin reading standalone novels about real-life topics - 3rd grade is probably the sweet spot, but I'd recommend for 2nd-5th grade readers.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the advanced audio book.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the advanced audio book.
July 13, 2021
This middle grade book explores family secrets and their impact.
For the target audience, I felt this was a good entrance into the idea that parents hide things from their children, and that when things aren't shared openly it can lead to kids feeling distrustful of their support system and uncertain of how to navigate that. There were a lot of complicated feelings that would have been nice to see explored further.
A short read that resolves itself unrealistically easily, but at the heart of it, it encourages families to share the truth even when it's hard, which is a good practice to learn.
***Thank you to Harper Audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
For the target audience, I felt this was a good entrance into the idea that parents hide things from their children, and that when things aren't shared openly it can lead to kids feeling distrustful of their support system and uncertain of how to navigate that. There were a lot of complicated feelings that would have been nice to see explored further.
A short read that resolves itself unrealistically easily, but at the heart of it, it encourages families to share the truth even when it's hard, which is a good practice to learn.
***Thank you to Harper Audio for providing me with a copy of the audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
June 7, 2021
Thank you NetGalley, HarperAudio, and HarperKids for the gifted book!
This is a slow and reflective, family centric middle grade novel. It all starts when the mom of the family takes a DNA test and Birdy, the baby of the family, spits in a tube too. When the results come back, it seems that Birdy is not biologically related to the rest of the family. This secret causes Nora and Ben (the twins and older siblings) to evaluate what matters and what this means for their family. Something about the way this story was told held me back from really connecting. I felt like it was done and I was still missing being fully invested in the story.
This is a slow and reflective, family centric middle grade novel. It all starts when the mom of the family takes a DNA test and Birdy, the baby of the family, spits in a tube too. When the results come back, it seems that Birdy is not biologically related to the rest of the family. This secret causes Nora and Ben (the twins and older siblings) to evaluate what matters and what this means for their family. Something about the way this story was told held me back from really connecting. I felt like it was done and I was still missing being fully invested in the story.
July 23, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook advanced copy of this title.
3.5 stars
Maclachlan's stories always seem so simple but blended in with the slower pace of this story are valid feelings and fears, genuine love and care in relationships, and characters that feel so real.
Some of the scenes in the story required me to shut down my adult brain and suspend my disbelief. I think, for the age group this book is written for, children probably won't have this issue regarding some of the simplicity of certain events.
While not my all-time fave book from MacLachlan, I really enjoyed this story and can't wait to recommend it to my library friends.
3.5 stars
Maclachlan's stories always seem so simple but blended in with the slower pace of this story are valid feelings and fears, genuine love and care in relationships, and characters that feel so real.
Some of the scenes in the story required me to shut down my adult brain and suspend my disbelief. I think, for the age group this book is written for, children probably won't have this issue regarding some of the simplicity of certain events.
While not my all-time fave book from MacLachlan, I really enjoyed this story and can't wait to recommend it to my library friends.
May 29, 2021
"The question is this: Does it matter?"
A profound, yet simple question that is a great lesson to readers of all ages. A beautiful story about what it really means to be a family, how sometimes a well-intentioned secret can turn into a painful lie, and simply loving the people in your life no matter how they came to be a part of it.
I have loved Patricia's books since I was a young girl, and I still keep copies of them to this day. This is another well-written book with deep topics written with love.
A profound, yet simple question that is a great lesson to readers of all ages. A beautiful story about what it really means to be a family, how sometimes a well-intentioned secret can turn into a painful lie, and simply loving the people in your life no matter how they came to be a part of it.
I have loved Patricia's books since I was a young girl, and I still keep copies of them to this day. This is another well-written book with deep topics written with love.
July 27, 2021
Nora and Ben learn from a DNA test that their sister Birdy is adopted. Immediately- naturally- they wonder why their parents kept it a secret. They start to pay more attention to their parents in order to figure out the truth of the story.
If I was an elementary librarian, I’d definitely buy this book. At the middle school level, this feels a bit too simplistic. The message is clear and could be a good title for teachers looking to teach theme.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.
If I was an elementary librarian, I’d definitely buy this book. At the middle school level, this feels a bit too simplistic. The message is clear and could be a good title for teachers looking to teach theme.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.
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