3 starred reviews • A Kirkus Best Book of 2017 • A New York Public Library Top Ten Books for Kids pick • An ALA Notable Book • 2018 NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor Book
From rising star Caela Carter, author of My Life with the Liars and How to Be a Girl in the World , comes a captivating and heartfelt story about siblings who learn that love can never be divided, only multiplied.
Flora and her brother, Julian, don’t believe they were born. They’ve lived in so many foster homes, they can’t remember where they came from. And even now that they’ve been adopted, Flora still struggles to believe that they’ve found their forever home. Though Flora is trying her best to trust two new people, when she finds out that there will be a new baby, she’s worried that there won’t be enough love for everyone.
So along with their new mother, Flora and Julian begin a journey to go back and discover their past—for only then can they really begin to build their future.
Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me , Kathryn Erskine’s Mockingbird , and Ali Benjamin’s The Thing About Jellyfish , this powerful novel about love and family will inspire and delight readers of all ages.
From School Library Journal
Gr 5–7—Eleven-year-old Flora and her younger brother, Julian, have lived in so many foster homes that they have no memories of growing up and no history. They believe not only that they were never babies but also that they were never even born. This startling notion hooks readers from the first chapter: What happened to the siblings before they were adopted by Emily (whom Flora refers to as "Person")? Carter (My Life with the Liars) delicately draws readers into the lives of a group of people overcoming obstacles as they learn how to become a family. Through Flora's skittish, yearning voice, Carter explains the siblings' reluctance to accept that they have found their forever home: "We can't help preparing for the fall." The family's fragile progress is tested when Emily and her husband reveal they're having a baby and Flora fights with Elena, teen daughter of Emily's husband. To help Flora and Julian embrace their future, Emily takes them on a journey into the past, visiting their former foster homes and caregivers. During the trip, Carter truly shows her skill, observing simple moments of the tenuous yet growing bond between mother and children while painting an unflinching portrait of the tragic shortcomings of the foster care system. Strong secondary characters flesh out the narrative, but the novel's heart belongs to the relationship among Emily, Flora, and Julian as they learn how to trust and to meet one another's needs. VERDICT Addressing contemporary family issues and a child's timeless desire for self-knowledge, this title is a first purchase for middle grade collections.—Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY
Review
★ “This stunning portrayal of the circuitous path of trauma and healing teems with compassion, empathy, and the triumph of resilience.” — Booklist (starred review)
★ “Carter delicately draws readers into the lives of a group of people overcoming obstacles as they learn how to become a family. The novel’s heart belongs to the relationship among Emily, Flora, and Julian as they learn how to trust and to meet one another’s needs.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
★ “Carter’s sophomore novel gently weaves the heartache and confusion of abandonment with the struggle for love and acceptance. Poetic and meditative, this emotionally enthralling novel undresses assumptions with purpose and hope.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Complex and well-rounded characters. Authentic.” — The Horn Book
“This nuanced novel highlights the struggle to trust an adoptive family after a traumatic history in foster care.Carter’s layered narrative doesn’t shy from pain as it testifies to resilience and the expansive power of love.” — Publishers Weekly
“Flora’s narration is deftly turned. The portrayal of kids whose lives have genuinely impaired them has grit and honesty as well as warmth, and it will open many readers’ eyes to the impact of trauma.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
About the Author
Caela Carter is a writer and an educator. She is a graduate of the New School’s MFA program in writing for children. She has written three books for middle grade readers: One Speck of Truth , My Life with the Liars , and Forever, or a Long, Long Time , which received three starred reviews, among other accolades. Caela lives in Brooklyn with her family. You can visit her online at www.caelacarter.com.