Sonja K. Solter

CW: off page non-described sexual assault by family member

Well that was a powerful middle-school verse novel about surviving trauma.

Tori was an exceptionally well written character and I was drawn into her journey of fear, shame and anger. This is quite a heavy topic to tackle in a middle-school novel however it was done with a warm openness and sensitivity. I thoroughly recommend this healing verse novel for middle-school libraries and it would be probably be okay for NZ Y9 too.

Tori suffers emotionally and mentally after being molested by her uncle and her mother not believing her at first. It causes a rift with Grandma, and her father threatens to take custody of Tori and her sister Tay. Talking with Laila, a therapist, helps, as does finally confiding in her best friend Rhea. Somehow I wasn't fully engaged by Tori's journey. It felt more like a deliberate inventory of the fits and starts toward healing.