#1 New York Times Bestseller Newbery Honor Book Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award (Middle School) Wall Street Journal Best Children's Books of 2015 New York Public Library's 100 Books for Reading and Sharing
An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War II, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson's Sons and for fans of Number the Stars.
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada's twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn't waste a minute--she sneaks out to join him.
So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan--and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity--a classic in the making.
Book ReviewsView
\"War usually tears families apart and causes heartache, but for Ada, World War II saved her life. Born with a club foot, Ada suffered abuse and ridicule. When she and her brother were sent to the countryside to wait out the war, Ada had to learn to deal with her new life, including how to receive unconditional love. Ada's story is a moving and poignant tale of acceptance and how change can be rewarding.\"
-Kathy Taber, Kids Ink, Indianapolis, IN
About the AuthorView
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is the author of Energy Makes Things Happen and Pop!, an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, in the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. She has a degree in chemistry from Smith College and lives with her husband and two children in Bristol, Tennessee.