When Frankie's mother died and her father left her and her siblings at an orphanage in Chicago, it was supposed to be only temporary — just long enough for him to get back on his feet and be able to provide for them once again. That's why Frankie's not prepared for the day that he arrives for his weekend visit with a new woman on his arm and out-of-state train tickets in his pocket. Now Frankie and her sister, Toni, are abandoned alongside so many other orphans: two young, unwanted women doing everything they can to survive.
As the embers of the Great Depression are kindled into the fires of World War II, and the shadows of injustice, poverty, and death walk the streets in broad daylight, it will be up to Frankie to find something worth holding on to in the ruins of this shattered America — every minute of every day spent wondering if the life she's able to carve out will be enough.
From the author of Printz Medal winner Bone Gap comes the unforgettable story of two young women — one living, one dead — dealing with loss, desire, and the fragility of the American dream during WWII.
"Narrator Pearl Brownlow, a ghost who died when she was not much older than Frankie, haunts Chicago’s streets and the orphanage, reflecting on Frankie’s life and her own. As Pearl slowly comes to terms with the shocking events that preceded her death, she watches Frankie fall in love and experience devastating loss, and witnesses the sisters’ eventual return to their father and his horrible new family. Printz winner Ruby (Bone Gap) creates a dreamlike rendering of Pearl’s afterlife that contrasts with Frankie’s stark, historically detailed circumstances." — Publishers Weekly
Recommended Age | 14 and up |
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Author | Laura Ruby |
ISBN | 0062317644 |
Publication Date | Oct 1, 2019 |
Publisher | Balzer + Bray |
Language | English |