Fighting Words
The effects of trauma are explored with great honesty and sensitivity in a novel that never becomes graphic in its depictions of abuse. Ten-year-old Della and her teen sister, Suki (both white), had been living with their mother’s ex-boyfriend, Clifton, ever since a meth-related incident landed their mother in prison years ago. When Suki catches Clifton abusing Della, the girls are placed in a foster home with blunt-but-caring Francine. Suki, who has always been Della’s staunch protector and caregiver, struggles to cope with the years of sexual abuse she has kept secret. As Suki reaches a crisis point, Francine finally succeeds at getting mental health treatment for both girls. With the help of a therapist, Della begins to recognize her own feelings, understand what is happening to Suki, and practice healthy coping skills as she processes her own trauma. At school, Della stands up to a boy in her classroom who has long gotten away with snapping his classmates’ bra straps, underscoring the important lessons about consent in a story in which the fortitude of both sisters is admirable and not unrealistic. ©2021 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 9-13
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Consent
Drugs and Alcohol
Foster Families
Hope and Healing
Mental Health and Illness
Sexual Abuse
Sisters
Trauma
Diversity subject:
Psychiatric Disability/Condition
Publishers:
Dial, Penguin Random House
Publish Year: 2020
Pages: 259
ISBN: 9781984815682
CCBC Location: Fiction, Bradley