Fighting Words
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
*Newbery Honor Book*
*Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor*
A nuanced and fierce middle grade novel about sisterhood and sexual abuse, by two-time Newbery Honor winner and #1 New York Times best seller Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, author of The War that Saved My Life
"Fighting Words is raw, it is real, it is necessary, a must-read for children and their adults—a total triumph in all ways." —Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s
Ten-year-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom's boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della's own wolf--her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della's world turns so far upside down, it feels like it's shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she's been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it's time to be loud.
In this powerful novel that explodes the stigma around child sexual abuse and leavens an intense tale with compassion and humor, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley tells a story about two sisters, linked by love and trauma, who must find their own voices before they can find their way back to each other.
"Della’s matter-of-fact narration manages to be as funny and charming as it is devastatingly sad. . . . This is a novel about trauma [but] more than that, it’s a book about resilience, strength and healing. For every young reader who decides to wait . . . there will be others for whom this is the exact book they need right now." —New York Times Book Review
"One of the most important books ever written for kids."—Colby Sharp of Nerdy Book Club
"One for the history books."—Betsy Bird for A Fuse #8 Production/SLJ
"Gripping. Life-changing...I am awe-struck."—Donna Gephart, author of Lily and Dunkin
"Compassionate, truthful, and beautiful."—Elana K. Arnold, author of Damsel
"I am blown away. [This] may be Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's best work yet."—Barbara Dee, author of Maybe He Just Likes You
"A book that lets [kids] know they have never been alone. And never will be."—Kat Yeh, author of The Truth About Twinkie Pie
"Meets the criteria of great children's literature that [will] resonate with adults too."—Bitch Media
* "At once heartbreaking and hopeful."—Kirkus (starred review)
* "Honest [and] empowering...An important book for readers of all ages."—SLJ (starred review)
* "Sensitive[,] deft, and vivid."—BCCB (starred review)
* "Prepare to read furiously."—Booklist (starred review)
* "An essential, powerful mirror and window for any reader."—PW (starred review)
* "Enlightening, empowering and--yes--uplifting."—BookPage (starred review)
* "Unforgettable."—The Horn Book (starred review)
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Tennessee, Delicious "Della" Nevaeh Roberts, 10, has always counted on the fierce, wolflike love of her 16-year-old sister, Suki. Suki raised Della after their mother was incarcerated for a meth-related accident and they were left with her truck driver boyfriend, Clifton. But when Suki finds Clifton pulling down Della's underwear, the girls flee and are placed in the care of gruff foster mother Francine. Della gradually adapts to the safety of her new life, enjoying a new friendship but occasionally getting in trouble for trying to stop a physical bully in her class. For Suki, however, newfound stability results in a mental health decline that goes unchecked at first, despite Francine's attempts to get her help. Della's tough, straightforward narration pulls no punches ("I've learned that some things are almost impossible to talk about because they're things no one wants to know") as she learns the power of using her "big mouth" and inspires others to tell their stories when and how they are able. Sharp characterizations by Newbery Honoree Brubaker Bradley (The War That Saved My Life) create an essential, powerful mirror and window for any reader: "I was glad, you know, to read the book. To know it didn't only happen to me." An author's note includes resources for young readers. Ages 10 up.
