
Reach for this book when your child is grappling with the quiet, heavy aftermath of loss or feeling the ripple effects of family financial stress. Following the death of their mother, siblings Pippa and Jack are struggling to keep their heads above water as their father's business fails and their home faces foreclosure. It is a poignant, honest look at the messy ways children process grief: through selective silence, outbursts of anger, and a desperate desire to fix things that are beyond their control. Galante handles these heavy themes with a gentle, realistic touch that validates a child's anxiety while offering a path toward resilience and family reconnection. It is an ideal choice for middle-grade readers (ages 8 to 12) who are ready for a story that doesn't shy away from hard truths but ultimately finds its way toward hope.
Characters make questionable choices (stealing) out of desperation and grief.
Deals with the death of a mother and the threat of losing one's home.
The book deals directly with the death of a parent and the reality of poverty/homelessness. The approach is secular and deeply realistic. While the siblings do engage in some 'stealing' (the title refers to reclaiming items and the desperation of their situation), the resolution is grounded in emotional honesty rather than a magical financial fix.
A 10-year-old reader who feels the weight of 'adult' problems at home, such as money worries or a parent's depression, and needs to see that their feelings of shame or anger are valid.
Read cold. Parents should be aware that the book depicts children experiencing neglect due to their father's grief and financial stress. Be prepared to discuss how grief can affect people differently and how to seek help when a parent is struggling. A parent might notice their child becoming unusually withdrawn or 'perfectly' quiet, or conversely, getting into trouble at school as a way to vent home-based frustrations.
Younger readers will focus on the siblings' bond and the fear of losing their house. Older readers will better grasp the nuance of Pippa's selective mutism and the complexity of their father's grief.
Unlike many books on grief that focus on the immediate aftermath, this explores the 'long tail' of loss and how financial instability compounds emotional trauma. """
After the death of their mother, Pippa and Jack are navigating a crumbling home life. Their father is rarely home, working long hours to save a failing business, but foreclosure is imminent. Pippa has become selectively mute at school, while Jack is acting out. The narrative follows their separate and intersecting attempts to cope with their mother's absence and the looming loss of their physical home.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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