Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

 SPOILER ALERT!!

Fighting Words 

by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Dial Books/Penguin BFYR, 2020, 272 pages

Trigger Warning: Sexual Abuse and Attempted Suicide

Life has not been easy for Della, 10, and her sister Suki, 17. They are both in foster care now that their mother is in prison for blowing up a hotel room cooking meth. Six years ago, they had been taken in by their mother's former boyfriend, Clifton, but he has now been arrested and is about to go on trial for child sexual abuse. Suki caught him attempting to sexually abuse Della and filmed what was going on while calling the police. Now, Della is expected to testify at Clifton's trial, but Suki insists that it must be filmed and not done in person. Their new foster mother, Francine, is an old hand at fostering kids and really seems to be on Suki and Della's side. Living with her is the closest to a normal life that they have ever experienced. There is enough food to eat and no one abuses them. They go to school regularly, although Della struggles with the work, but also makes friends with a girl named Nevaeh (heaven spelled backwards) and stands up to a boy in the class named Trevor who is always harassing the girls for wearing or not wearing a bra. 

And so it is in just such an atmosphere that Della begins to narrate their story, seemingly searching for something that she may have missed. Francine, who know exactly what has happened to the girls, keeps asking them if they want to talk to a counselor, but their case worker never follows through with that. Then, Suki attempts suicide, suffering from PTSD and unable to continue to be strong for herself and Della. As the pieces to what happened to Suki while living with Clifton begin to make sense to Della, she decides that she would rather testify in the courtroom at his trial instead of on a recording. She also finds the strength to report what Trevor has been doing to the girls in her class, right under the teacher's nose.  

Fighting Words ends well, but I think it needed a positive ending for it to be considered a middle grade novel. There is a lot of heavy stuff going on in Suki and Della's story, but Brubaker Bradley has included enough humor that it doesn't diminish the experiences of the sisters, but it sure is needed for some relief. I found Della to be a wonderful unreliable narrator (after all, she's only 10). And I was glad this didn't turned into an ugly foster care story. It's always encouraging to read about a positive foster care situation, and while Francine is a little rough around the edges, she is a real softy with her heart in the right place. 

I loved the irony of Della using the word "snow" whenever she was using "colorful language" and she did that a lot. I used to teach in the Bronx and Della's "snowy" language and defensive attitude reminded me of some of the kids I had in my classes, making her such an authentic character for me. I think Brubaker Bradley did a stellar job presenting Della and Suki's story, getting what happened across without being terrible graphic except for the one incident involving Della. But, in the end, I think this book needs trigger warnings - it is definitely not for every middle school reader. 

This book is recommended for readers age 10+

The Sea in Winter by Christine Day

 

Maisie Cannon, 12, has been taking ballet since she was four-years-old, but now she is on a long recovery road after injuring her ACL trying to do an en pointe routine she just wasn't ready for. Now, with the support of her family - mom, stepdad, and younger brother Connor - and lots of physical therapy, Maisie's knee has mended enough that she is permitted to take a family hike along the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. And Maisie is hoping that she will be able to return to ballet in time to audition for a summer dance program. She is so consumed with when she can return to the dance studio, that her grades in school are suffering. 

On top of all that, best friend Eva is convinced she will be accepted into her first choice summer program, but seems totally oblivious to what is going on with Maisie, unlike their friend Hattie. Hattie is concerned that she hasn't heard from Maisie, who is avoiding her text messages. Hattie is also the best dancer of the three friends. At the same time, Maisie has been unaccountably irritated at her parents and Connor, and she is beginning to feel oddly disconnected from herself and those around her. And she's in denial about how serious the pain in her knee is.   

As her family heads out for their road trip during midwinter break, Maisie's dark moods don't improve, nor does the pain in her knee. During the tip, Maisie learns the history of her Native American ancestors. She is Makah on her mother's side, who grew up on northwestern part of Washington State. Maisie's dad was Piscataway, growing up on the Chesapeake Bay. Her stepdad, Jack Leith, is an enrolled citizen of the Lower Elwah Klallam Tribe, and know everything about Klallam and Pacific Northwest history. 

While the family digs for clams, and hikes through the area, Maisie's mother talks to her about how she was able to deal with the sudden death of her husband, finding strength in her Makah heritage. Jack also shares his personal history as part of the Klallam community and what a difference it made in his life, which was at one time heading in the wrong direction.

Despite being careful, Maisie trips and falls, seriously re-injuring her knee, undoing all the hard work she put into healing it. Will she be able to recover and dance again, or will she have to find a new course? And can she mend the friendships she has sabotaged?

When I began reading The Sea in Winter, I expected it to be about a younger girl than Maisie because of the cover and it took me a few pages to readjust my thinking. Once I did that, I was completely hooked on Maisie's story. It is narrated in the first person by her and gives the reader a lot of insight into her thinking and feelings, as well as her struggles. Maisie is heading down a dark path, but luckily she has parents who love her and recognize what is happening. I have to admit that at first I thought Maisie was a bit selfish, but as her emotional state became clearer, I began to feel much more empathic towards her. 

I really liked that Day gave her an intact family that is supportive, warm and loving, and a stepdad who really cares for her as though she were is own child without trying to replace her biological dad. Little brother Connor is a bundle of energy and can be a bit annoying, but it is clear he adores Maisie and the feeling is mutual. Family goes a long way in helping Maisie's recovery and I think the Native histories her parents tell her about also help her to finally begin to have the strength to really heal.

Day's description of the people and places in Maisie's life are so realistic, including the road trip the family took from their home in Seattle to the tip of the Olympic Peninsula. I could almost feel the cold and taste the razor clams the family digs up and cooks. 

The Sea in Winter is a compelling, heartwarming story about facing the loss of a dream and finding your life again after a traumatic injury. I can't recommend it highly enough. 

This book is recommended for readers age 9+

This book was an eARC gratefully received from NetGalley