
A parent would reach for this book when their teenager is feeling replaced by a new sibling or abandoned by a father following a divorce. It is a powerful resource for navigating the complex emotions of a blended family, specifically the resentment and isolation that can occur when a father starts a 'second' family. The story unfolds through alternating poems that link Sam, a modern boy in New York, with the biblical figure Ishmael. By connecting these two across time, the book validates the deep hurt of feeling second-best while offering a path toward healing. It is best suited for ages 12 and up due to its sophisticated verse and heavy emotional themes of betrayal and religious questioning. Parents will appreciate how Nikki Grimes uses faith as a realistic, sometimes messy anchor for processing grief.
The book deals directly with divorce, abandonment, and religious doubt. The approach is deeply spiritual but also raw and realistic. The resolution is hopeful but does not provide easy fixes: both boys must find their own worth independent of their fathers' validation.
Your experience helps other parents find the right book.
Sign in to write a reviewA middle or high schooler who is struggling with 'middle-man' syndrome in a blended family, particularly one where a father has remarried and seems focused on a new child.
Parents should be aware that the book contains honest expressions of anger toward God and parents. Familiarity with the Abrahamic narrative of Ishmael and Isaac will help the child see the parallels between the stories. A parent might notice their child becoming withdrawn, expressing bitterness about a father's new partner, or questioning why God would allow their family to break apart.
Younger teens will focus on the fairness of the family dynamics and the sibling rivalry. Older teens will better appreciate the poetic craft and the theological questions regarding Ishmael's legacy.
Unlike many books on divorce, this uses a unique dual-narrative verse structure to show that these 'modern' problems are actually ancient, universal human experiences. """
The novel uses a parallel structure in verse to tell two stories. Sam is a teenager in modern New York City whose father leaves his mother to start a new family. Simultaneously, the book follows the biblical story of Ishmael, the first son of Abraham, who feels cast aside after the birth of Isaac. Both boys grapple with the entrance of a younger half-brother and the perceived betrayal of their fathers and their God.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.