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The Land of Forgotten Girls
Two sisters from the Philippines, abandoned by their father and living in impoverished circumstances in Louisiana, fight to make their lives better.
Soledad has always been able to escape into the stories she creates. Just like her mother always could. And Soledad has needed that escape more than ever in the five years since her mother and sister died and her father moved Sol and her youngest sister from the Philippines to Louisiana. Then he left, and all Sol and Ming have now is their evil stepmother, Vea. Sol has protected Ming all this time, but then Ming begins to believe that Auntie Jove—their mythical, world-traveling aunt—is really going to come rescue them. Have Sol’s stories done more harm than good? Can she protect Ming from this impossible hope?
Soledad has always been able to escape into the stories she creates. Just like her mother always could. And Soledad has needed that escape more than ever in the five years since her mother and sister died and her father moved Sol and her youngest sister from the Philippines to Louisiana. Then he left, and all Sol and Ming have now is their evil stepmother, Vea. Sol has protected Ming all this time, but then Ming begins to believe that Auntie Jove—their mythical, world-traveling aunt—is really going to come rescue them. Have Sol’s stories done more harm than good? Can she protect Ming from this impossible hope?
299 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2016
158 people are currently reading
4710 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 519 reviews
March 1, 2016
An empowering and moving story about sisterhood.
“She isn’t rich. She’s clever. That means she knows how to use her imagination. When you can do that, you can do anything.”
This is something Soledad’s mother would always say. She was a weaver of words. A magnificent storyteller. A fairy godmother that would gladly whisk you away from the danger of reality.
And, when she died. Soledad doesn’t know how to escape the peril of drowning into her own trance.
Soledad and Dominga.
Sol and Ming for short. They are two sisters who was born in the Philippines. Though, soon after their mother died, they migrated to Louisiana, USA.
Together with their evil stepmother and their father who suddenly abandoned them.
They need an escape more than ever.
“She has to believe in something. Everyone has to believe in something.”
For Ming’s sake, Sol started slowly unpacking all the tales their mother left her... Auntie Jove, their adventurous aunt, who’s going to rescue them some day. Ming was so immerse into the fantasy, Sol is worried, she gave her “too much” to believe in.
The Land of Forgotten Girls filled my heart with so much love, I’m afraid it would burst.
I am not a regular Middle Grade reader, but if all of them have the same timbre of storytelling as Kelly’s, I’ll gladly read them frequently.
I have always been on a lookout for stories that features tight knit, complicated family. Bonus, if it’s about sisterhood. So, to my delight when this book magically appears out of nowhere. I felt like I won a lottery, but even better because it’s about two Filipino American sisters.
As Ming would say “Everyone needs sisters!” I have to agree with that. Always.
The narration of the story would occasionally go back and forth in the Philippines to tell a flashback scene. In addition, Kelly effortlessly intertwines the Filipino culture in the plot. Our rich tradition, tales, and more. I could not help but to chuckle as I read some very familiar words. It’s extremely refreshing to finally see a little bit of myself in things that I highly treasure.
Aside from that, The Land of Forgotten Girls also has a diverse cast. Ming and Sol are both Filipino American who grew up in the Philippines. Sol’s best friend, Manny is a Mexican and their neighbors are Chinese as well.
This book got so many things right. Per instance colorism, racism and more.
Can you imagine a bunch of twelve year old kids discussing racial problems? Yes, I certainly can. Because when you grew up as a minority in America, the people around you will force you to grow up. You’ll be considered a threat, sometimes less than a human being.
To sum it up, The Land of Forgotten Girls should be a required reading material for all ages. This book teaches us that family is everything, that children of color have plenty of tales to tell.
Review also posted at Hollywood News Source.
“She isn’t rich. She’s clever. That means she knows how to use her imagination. When you can do that, you can do anything.”
This is something Soledad’s mother would always say. She was a weaver of words. A magnificent storyteller. A fairy godmother that would gladly whisk you away from the danger of reality.
And, when she died. Soledad doesn’t know how to escape the peril of drowning into her own trance.
Soledad and Dominga.
Sol and Ming for short. They are two sisters who was born in the Philippines. Though, soon after their mother died, they migrated to Louisiana, USA.
Together with their evil stepmother and their father who suddenly abandoned them.
They need an escape more than ever.
“She has to believe in something. Everyone has to believe in something.”
For Ming’s sake, Sol started slowly unpacking all the tales their mother left her... Auntie Jove, their adventurous aunt, who’s going to rescue them some day. Ming was so immerse into the fantasy, Sol is worried, she gave her “too much” to believe in.
The Land of Forgotten Girls filled my heart with so much love, I’m afraid it would burst.
I am not a regular Middle Grade reader, but if all of them have the same timbre of storytelling as Kelly’s, I’ll gladly read them frequently.
I have always been on a lookout for stories that features tight knit, complicated family. Bonus, if it’s about sisterhood. So, to my delight when this book magically appears out of nowhere. I felt like I won a lottery, but even better because it’s about two Filipino American sisters.
As Ming would say “Everyone needs sisters!” I have to agree with that. Always.
The narration of the story would occasionally go back and forth in the Philippines to tell a flashback scene. In addition, Kelly effortlessly intertwines the Filipino culture in the plot. Our rich tradition, tales, and more. I could not help but to chuckle as I read some very familiar words. It’s extremely refreshing to finally see a little bit of myself in things that I highly treasure.
Aside from that, The Land of Forgotten Girls also has a diverse cast. Ming and Sol are both Filipino American who grew up in the Philippines. Sol’s best friend, Manny is a Mexican and their neighbors are Chinese as well.
This book got so many things right. Per instance colorism, racism and more.
Can you imagine a bunch of twelve year old kids discussing racial problems? Yes, I certainly can. Because when you grew up as a minority in America, the people around you will force you to grow up. You’ll be considered a threat, sometimes less than a human being.
To sum it up, The Land of Forgotten Girls should be a required reading material for all ages. This book teaches us that family is everything, that children of color have plenty of tales to tell.
Review also posted at Hollywood News Source.
March 28, 2016
Things I know to be true: I like this book. Scratch that. I love this book!
December 7, 2015
I enjoyed reading The Land of Forgotten Girls, I didn’t encounter boring scenes. I liked Sol’s fairy tales, they really took me to fascinating places. I think this one is a book for all ages, this is different from other Middle Grade books.
I liked the flashbacks in the Philippines and it made me smile when I read a Filipino word. I got attached to the characters, especially with Sol. She’s just 12 year old and she’s already carrying a lot of burden. I love Sol and Ming’s strong sibling bond, they’re always on each other side. To be honest, I shipped Sol and Manny! Manny is prepared to do anything for Sol. Well, they are still children so maybe in the near future? I think Vea is not that bad, maybe in the deepest part of her heart, she still cares for Sol and Ming.
This book reminds me how pure and honest 12 year olds are. You could turn your enemy into a friend. Fairy tales helped Sol and Ming to forget about how reality is harsh. The Land of Forgotten Girls is about diversity, family and friendship. It will leave you with a hole in your heart.
Thank you Edelweiss for the copy!
I liked the flashbacks in the Philippines and it made me smile when I read a Filipino word. I got attached to the characters, especially with Sol. She’s just 12 year old and she’s already carrying a lot of burden. I love Sol and Ming’s strong sibling bond, they’re always on each other side. To be honest, I shipped Sol and Manny! Manny is prepared to do anything for Sol. Well, they are still children so maybe in the near future? I think Vea is not that bad, maybe in the deepest part of her heart, she still cares for Sol and Ming.
This book reminds me how pure and honest 12 year olds are. You could turn your enemy into a friend. Fairy tales helped Sol and Ming to forget about how reality is harsh. The Land of Forgotten Girls is about diversity, family and friendship. It will leave you with a hole in your heart.
Thank you Edelweiss for the copy!
May 9, 2024
my childhood comfort book 💗
Want to read
December 8, 2015Filipino-American author! Filipino protagonists! :D I can't wait to get my hands on this book. I've never read a book that had Filipino characters before, and as a Filipino myself, this is really exciting for me :D :D
February 26, 2016
This book is seriously amazing. It's the kind of novel that exudes hope and faith and is essentially destined to become a classic.
I immediately loved Soledad (and her little sister Ming) and I rooted for them to be able to get away from their stepmother somehow. (Even knowing that there's really no chance, as they are both so young.) I also love the fact that the author chose not to make Vea a caricature of evil; there are glimpses that she's also been damaged by life.
Everything about this book is note-perfect, and that makes me sad that she's only written two books. I haven't read her first novel, Blackbird Fly, yet; I need to change that immediately. Hopefully that will tide me over until a new book is released.
Highly recommended.
I immediately loved Soledad (and her little sister Ming) and I rooted for them to be able to get away from their stepmother somehow. (Even knowing that there's really no chance, as they are both so young.) I also love the fact that the author chose not to make Vea a caricature of evil; there are glimpses that she's also been damaged by life.
Everything about this book is note-perfect, and that makes me sad that she's only written two books. I haven't read her first novel, Blackbird Fly, yet; I need to change that immediately. Hopefully that will tide me over until a new book is released.
Highly recommended.
April 13, 2017
This book was about a girl named Sol and her sister, Ming. Sol had another sister, before Ming, that died from drowning in the Philippines. Sol thinks that it was all her fault. Sol's mother also died so now she lives with her dad and her evil stepmother, Vea. They moved to Louisiana together but Sol's father abandoned them after and left them all alone with Vea. I love this book, I find it very interesting because this is the first book I have read about Philippines.
August 20, 2025
Erin Entrada Kelly's career as a novelist started fast with two books in two years, leading up to the monster success of her third novel (Hello, Universe), which won the Newbery Medal. The second of those first two books, The Land of Forgotten Girls, mines Ms. Kelly's Filipino family history for a fresh story of growing up American when you were born in a land of less opportunity. Twelve-year-old Soledad (Sol) Madrid has had several unfortunate breaks in life: her little sister Amelia drowned under circumstances that Sol can't help believing she herself contributed to, their mother died after the next twelve months of stress and loneliness, and their father married a nasty woman named Vea in an arrangement that allowed her to immigrate with them to the United States in exchange for taking care of Sol and her now six-year-old sister Dominga (Ming). The girls' father returned to the Philippines two years ago and has rarely communicated since, leaving his daughters with their bitter stepmother in a poor area of Louisiana. Much of what can go wrong moving to America already has.
"When you put yourself on the line, you have to decide if what you'll get is worth what you'll risk."
—The Land of Forgotten Girls, P. 167
Sol inherited her mother's imagination, filling her dreary life with the resplendence of make-believe when her stepmother hurls insults or locks Sol in the closet. Sol isn't quite sure whether certain parts of her life are real or imagined: does her sister Amelia actually appear to her as a ghost, to calm and advise her when she's in despair? Sol used to believe her mother's fanciful stories back in the Philippines, particularly about Auntie Jove. When her mother died, Sol hoped Auntie Jove might claim her and Ming, but her father said there was no such woman. Now Ming clings to that same hope, believing Auntie Jove will rescue her nieces from Vea. Sol is worried: how will her sister react when she realizes that imagination can only do so much?
"But life has a way of reminding you what is and isn't the truth."
—The Land of Forgotten Girls, P. 279
Minor confrontations with Vea bubble up throughout the story, but big trouble seems inevitable. Sol and her friend Manny have fun hanging out around town, and he agrees to help do something special to keep Ming's mind off her problems. Sol and Manny like jeering at girls from the private academy on the other side of town, particularly one they call Casper (as in the ghost) because of her albino skin and hair, and this teasing unexpectedly brings the girl into Sol's life. But is "Casper" a friend? Is Manny a friend, or does Sol think of him as more? Sol is tired of feeling as though her life could unravel at any minute, and she hates to see Ming losing hope. How do two lonesome girls find sanctuary? Perhaps by emulating their departed mother, who taught them that imagination can be a buffer against untenable reality, creating a life worth living and exploring. Tomorrow is a blank page waiting for Sol and Ming to fill it.
Overcoming ugly circumstances is tough; the worse your situation, the harder it is. How does one generate enthusiasm and a sense of purpose when restricted by economic hardship? How about when just one or two people in all the world care what happens to you? What if no one cares? What if you're not free to come and go as you please, locked away from a world you're dying to participate in? People often have minimal control over their life situation, but a fertile mind is a ticket to a boundless landscape if you can figure out how to live beyond the chains that hold you. This is the theme of The Land of Forgotten Girls, as Sol learns not to take for granted her mind's ability to transcend physical limitations. Reality and fantasy, truth and falsehood have gray areas, but it's not always crucial to make the distinction, as Sol emphasizes to Ming at one point. "Sometimes there's an in-between. It's good to hide in the in-between sometimes. Isn't it?" Sometimes what's in between life and legend is the only comfort we have, to remind us of lost loved ones and cultivate our faith that there are major players ahead in our life who have yet to take the stage. A smidgen of fantasy can bridge that gap.
The Land of Forgotten Girls resists synopsis. It's a story of feeling and inner growth, not driven by plot. Life is rough and Erin Entrada Kelly doesn't shield us from that by concocting unlikely solutions to Sol's situation. It unfolds organically, mostly the way you'd expect, but sprinkled with hope to make it sparkle. I might prefer this book to Hello, Universe, though it's a close contest. Wisdom, consolation, and characters with heart are good things for a book to have, and The Land of Forgotten Girls possesses a bit of each. Part of me leans toward rating it two and a half stars. If you enjoyed Hello, Universe, I suspect you'll appreciate this novel. It may not live up to its full potential, but there's a lot to like.
"When you put yourself on the line, you have to decide if what you'll get is worth what you'll risk."
—The Land of Forgotten Girls, P. 167
Sol inherited her mother's imagination, filling her dreary life with the resplendence of make-believe when her stepmother hurls insults or locks Sol in the closet. Sol isn't quite sure whether certain parts of her life are real or imagined: does her sister Amelia actually appear to her as a ghost, to calm and advise her when she's in despair? Sol used to believe her mother's fanciful stories back in the Philippines, particularly about Auntie Jove. When her mother died, Sol hoped Auntie Jove might claim her and Ming, but her father said there was no such woman. Now Ming clings to that same hope, believing Auntie Jove will rescue her nieces from Vea. Sol is worried: how will her sister react when she realizes that imagination can only do so much?
"But life has a way of reminding you what is and isn't the truth."
—The Land of Forgotten Girls, P. 279
Minor confrontations with Vea bubble up throughout the story, but big trouble seems inevitable. Sol and her friend Manny have fun hanging out around town, and he agrees to help do something special to keep Ming's mind off her problems. Sol and Manny like jeering at girls from the private academy on the other side of town, particularly one they call Casper (as in the ghost) because of her albino skin and hair, and this teasing unexpectedly brings the girl into Sol's life. But is "Casper" a friend? Is Manny a friend, or does Sol think of him as more? Sol is tired of feeling as though her life could unravel at any minute, and she hates to see Ming losing hope. How do two lonesome girls find sanctuary? Perhaps by emulating their departed mother, who taught them that imagination can be a buffer against untenable reality, creating a life worth living and exploring. Tomorrow is a blank page waiting for Sol and Ming to fill it.
Overcoming ugly circumstances is tough; the worse your situation, the harder it is. How does one generate enthusiasm and a sense of purpose when restricted by economic hardship? How about when just one or two people in all the world care what happens to you? What if no one cares? What if you're not free to come and go as you please, locked away from a world you're dying to participate in? People often have minimal control over their life situation, but a fertile mind is a ticket to a boundless landscape if you can figure out how to live beyond the chains that hold you. This is the theme of The Land of Forgotten Girls, as Sol learns not to take for granted her mind's ability to transcend physical limitations. Reality and fantasy, truth and falsehood have gray areas, but it's not always crucial to make the distinction, as Sol emphasizes to Ming at one point. "Sometimes there's an in-between. It's good to hide in the in-between sometimes. Isn't it?" Sometimes what's in between life and legend is the only comfort we have, to remind us of lost loved ones and cultivate our faith that there are major players ahead in our life who have yet to take the stage. A smidgen of fantasy can bridge that gap.
The Land of Forgotten Girls resists synopsis. It's a story of feeling and inner growth, not driven by plot. Life is rough and Erin Entrada Kelly doesn't shield us from that by concocting unlikely solutions to Sol's situation. It unfolds organically, mostly the way you'd expect, but sprinkled with hope to make it sparkle. I might prefer this book to Hello, Universe, though it's a close contest. Wisdom, consolation, and characters with heart are good things for a book to have, and The Land of Forgotten Girls possesses a bit of each. Part of me leans toward rating it two and a half stars. If you enjoyed Hello, Universe, I suspect you'll appreciate this novel. It may not live up to its full potential, but there's a lot to like.
February 19, 2020
”My mother once told me that sisters were bound by invisible ribbons, and these ribbons held them together until the end of time, no matter what.”
3.5 out of 5 stars
I don’t have a sister, but if I did, I’d want one as fiercely protective and imaginative as Sol.
3.5 out of 5 stars
I don’t have a sister, but if I did, I’d want one as fiercely protective and imaginative as Sol.
February 2, 2016
Oh man, this book broke my heart.
It's a little bit of a modern fairy tale but without the magic (although these two imaginative sisters like to imagine lots of magic). Sol and her little sister were born in the Philippines but came to American with their father and stepmother after their mom died. Now their father has gone back to the Philippines, leaving them in a crummy apartment in Louisiana with their wicked stepmother. To help her sister cope, Sol imagines a place called The Land of Forgotten Girls where girls like them go to be taken care of by a gentle woman named Mother Hush.
This is a loosely plotted character-driven novel that reminded me a lot of the Gaither sisters novels, although different in tone. Sol reminded me a lot of Delphine from One Crazy Summer, feisty and willing to do anything to protect her little sister. Take the sisterly bits from the Gaither sisters novels and give it the brooding tone of Anne Ursu's Breadcrumbs, set it all in sweltering urban Louisiana and you have this book.
It's a little bit of a modern fairy tale but without the magic (although these two imaginative sisters like to imagine lots of magic). Sol and her little sister were born in the Philippines but came to American with their father and stepmother after their mom died. Now their father has gone back to the Philippines, leaving them in a crummy apartment in Louisiana with their wicked stepmother. To help her sister cope, Sol imagines a place called The Land of Forgotten Girls where girls like them go to be taken care of by a gentle woman named Mother Hush.
This is a loosely plotted character-driven novel that reminded me a lot of the Gaither sisters novels, although different in tone. Sol reminded me a lot of Delphine from One Crazy Summer, feisty and willing to do anything to protect her little sister. Take the sisterly bits from the Gaither sisters novels and give it the brooding tone of Anne Ursu's Breadcrumbs, set it all in sweltering urban Louisiana and you have this book.
May 22, 2017
Gah, I loved this book so much. A heartbreaking tale of sisters and dashed hopes, this book still manages to feel hopeful. It's real and messy and so, so inspiring. Highly recommend.
January 1, 2016
First 0ff, the title--so powerful. Not only did I enjoy this book but inpspiring to any of any age that has suffered abuse during childhood or felt like an outsider. It offers a realistic sense of hope that is often not found within children's literature. It's real--authentic and does not patronize the reader. Another piece I especially loved about this book is the aspect of strong girls connecting with and building upon each other's strengths in a non stereotypical way and across social backgrounds. In addition it helps us all remember that there are truly good people that may not not appear that way at first.
I loved Erin Entrada Kelly's Blackbird Fly, but with Land of Forgotten Girl she emerges as an influential middle grade writer with the power to bring hope and compassion not just to her readers, which she speaks to intimately, but to publishing as a whole.
This is a must read
I loved Erin Entrada Kelly's Blackbird Fly, but with Land of Forgotten Girl she emerges as an influential middle grade writer with the power to bring hope and compassion not just to her readers, which she speaks to intimately, but to publishing as a whole.
This is a must read
January 31, 2019
😭😭😭😭😭
I'm not crying, you're crying. Excuse me while I mend my broken heart! Oh my gods, this book hit me right in the feels. It was so creative and I love all the stories woven in! I couldn't help but think of my siblings when I reading. And I of course thought about my younger sister so it was really heartwarming and breaking at the same time.
I'm not crying, you're crying. Excuse me while I mend my broken heart! Oh my gods, this book hit me right in the feels. It was so creative and I love all the stories woven in! I couldn't help but think of my siblings when I reading. And I of course thought about my younger sister so it was really heartwarming and breaking at the same time.
May 8, 2019
This is such a lovely story about sisterly relationships and I loved it. I especially enjoyed the writing style and Sol's character development throughout the book. I can't wait to read more of Erin Entrada Kelly's books.
May 2, 2019
A lovely, lovely book about sisterhood and the power of stories.
- Features two utterly adorable and precious Filipino-American girls, Soledad and Dominga - Sol and Ming for short.
- Celebrates and explores the power of stories and storytelling - how the stories we have and tell are passed onto children, who then pass it onto their children - or, in Sol's case, her little sister Ming - and how stories are powerful in taking us away to somewhere else, somewhere better.
- I really loved and connected to Sol's sense of duty and protectedness and ever-present concern for Ming. If a little sister is sad, hell, us big sisters will do anything we can to make them feel better. For Sol, it was through stories.
- Subtly explores heavier topics - like racism, complex/dysfunctional family dynamics, grief, prejudice - with a light but sensitive tone with an extraordinary amount of grace.
- Features two utterly adorable and precious Filipino-American girls, Soledad and Dominga - Sol and Ming for short.
- Celebrates and explores the power of stories and storytelling - how the stories we have and tell are passed onto children, who then pass it onto their children - or, in Sol's case, her little sister Ming - and how stories are powerful in taking us away to somewhere else, somewhere better.
- I really loved and connected to Sol's sense of duty and protectedness and ever-present concern for Ming. If a little sister is sad, hell, us big sisters will do anything we can to make them feel better. For Sol, it was through stories.
- Subtly explores heavier topics - like racism, complex/dysfunctional family dynamics, grief, prejudice - with a light but sensitive tone with an extraordinary amount of grace.
December 24, 2015
This is a book about two sisters. It's about hope and love and family, and about the power of imagination. It was sad, but still left me feeling uplifted. The relationship between Sol and Ming was so powerful. It made me wish I had a sister!
June 23, 2018
⭐⭐⭐ 2.5 Stars
I just didn't connect with the characters. The beginning was slow and boring. The ending felt unfinished and rushed. Nothing was resolved.
It's a bit disappointing. Being the eldest, I know what it's like to have two younger sisters to look after. I know the bond we have even if I've moved out or have a 12 year gap with the youngest - we just have that natural bond. I didn't truly feel it with Sol and Ming. I know they're young but for me I didn't truly feel it for most of the book, maybe towards the end.
"My mother once told me that sisters were bound by invisible ribbons, and these ribbons held them together until the end of time, no matter what."
I just didn't connect with the characters. The beginning was slow and boring. The ending felt unfinished and rushed. Nothing was resolved.
It's a bit disappointing. Being the eldest, I know what it's like to have two younger sisters to look after. I know the bond we have even if I've moved out or have a 12 year gap with the youngest - we just have that natural bond. I didn't truly feel it with Sol and Ming. I know they're young but for me I didn't truly feel it for most of the book, maybe towards the end.
"The best thing about having a mind is that it's invisible - you can think whatever you want, even if it's childish, and it doesn't matter. Your thoughts belong to you, and only you."
August 13, 2017
Fantasy and realism intertwined - this book reminds me a lot of Bridge to Terebithia. In both the book is in large part about siblings and friends, though the antagonists in BtT are bullies and here she is the wicked step-Mother. In both the protagonists escape reality through a fantasy world, and encounter adults who aid their cause.
I recommend this to anyone who likes Bridge to Terebithia, or who thinks they might.
I recommend this to anyone who likes Bridge to Terebithia, or who thinks they might.
July 2, 2025
کاش تو این اوضاع آنقدر انرژی و دلخوشی داشتم که
ویدیوی ریویو بگیرم و بذارم یوتوب 😓
ریویو در یوتوب
https://youtu.be/ba7RI7yqXfo?si=-XjNF...
به زودی کامل ریویوش میکنم
از کتابخونه گرفتمش و با استرس و با صداهای موشک و پدافند و ... تند تند یروزه خوندمش
امیدوارم هرچه زودتر آرامش بال هاشو روی کشورمون باز کنه
این کتاب اونطورها خط داستانی و پلات و این که بگی سر و ته نداشت فقط روزمرگی ها و دلنوشته های یه دختر بچه ی کوچولوی فیلیپینی بود که با خواهر کوچکش زندگی میکرد
دوست داشتنی و سرگرم کننده
ویدیوی ریویو بگیرم و بذارم یوتوب 😓
ریویو در یوتوب
https://youtu.be/ba7RI7yqXfo?si=-XjNF...
به زودی کامل ریویوش میکنم
از کتابخونه گرفتمش و با استرس و با صداهای موشک و پدافند و ... تند تند یروزه خوندمش
امیدوارم هرچه زودتر آرامش بال هاشو روی کشورمون باز کنه
این کتاب اونطورها خط داستانی و پلات و این که بگی سر و ته نداشت فقط روزمرگی ها و دلنوشته های یه دختر بچه ی کوچولوی فیلیپینی بود که با خواهر کوچکش زندگی میکرد
دوست داشتنی و سرگرم کننده
December 29, 2021
This was my first book by Erin Estrada Kelly and is one of my 'Bookstagram enticed me to read it' picks. It is written for a younger audience and is a sad story about young immigrant sisters who face many obstacles in their young lives and rely on their imaginations, sisterly bond and memories to get them through.
The story follows the lives of Sol Madrid and her younger sister Ming who are living with their abusive stepmother Vea in the US after their father returns to the Philippines and has little communication with his kids. It sounds like a compelling story but unfortunately, I didn't connect with it. Not a lot happens, and readers are left with unexplained motivations and a few unresolved subplots which were frustrating. I liked that the characters are diverse, but they're not well developed and sometimes cliched, complete with the evil stepmother whose nasty motivations are never explained. Despite its bleak tale, it has a lovely depiction of Sol's imagination and the sisterly bond.
This book stands out for its raw depiction of child abuse, but it is how this emotional subject matter of child abuse and abandonment is addressed and left unresolved that made this a frustrating read. Due to its subject matter, I wouldn't be comfortable recommending it to my young library customers. This book is tragic without being powerful and it failed to engage me fully, leaving me uncomfortable with how handled the issues raised and its ending that left me unsatisfied.
August 17, 2017
This book falls into that sad category of "book I really, really wanted to like but just couldn't." I loved that the protagonists were two Filipina sisters (yay diversity!) and that the story didn't shy away from tough topics (death, abandonment, bullying, class divide). Lots of good stuff to work with.
Still, it felt like so much happened and yet nothing happened at all. There are some interesting characters introduced, but I felt like the author missed the opportunity to expand on them. And, yes, I'm going to complain about the ending. I'm okay with no happy ending, but all the crap that Sol and Ming have to go through at the very least deserves some sort of -resolution- There was so much promise in this book and I feel like it really just fell flat in the end.
Last, somewhat nitpicky complaint: the cover. It was beautiful and caught my eye, but could we at least try to make them look Filipina? Sol is described as dark with a flat nose, so even if they didn't have Asian features, could we at least break out the brown crayon for her skin tone?
Still, it felt like so much happened and yet nothing happened at all. There are some interesting characters introduced, but I felt like the author missed the opportunity to expand on them. And, yes, I'm going to complain about the ending. I'm okay with no happy ending, but all the crap that Sol and Ming have to go through at the very least deserves some sort of -resolution- There was so much promise in this book and I feel like it really just fell flat in the end.
Last, somewhat nitpicky complaint: the cover. It was beautiful and caught my eye, but could we at least try to make them look Filipina? Sol is described as dark with a flat nose, so even if they didn't have Asian features, could we at least break out the brown crayon for her skin tone?
December 26, 2017
I couldn’t ask for a better Expecto Patronum book than this one for #DAReadathon.
Sol weaves stories for herself and her sister Ming in order to cope with loss at different points in their lives.
Cont'd on the blog:
https://paperwanderer.wordpress.com/2...
Sol weaves stories for herself and her sister Ming in order to cope with loss at different points in their lives.
Cont'd on the blog:
https://paperwanderer.wordpress.com/2...
December 27, 2016
"She isn't rich...she's clever. That means she knows how to use her imagination. When you can do that, you can do anything." (p. 74)
"The best thing about having a mind is that it's invisible—you can think whatever you want, even if it's childish, and it doesn't matter. Your thoughts belong to you, and only you." (p. 225)
"The best thing about having a mind is that it's invisible—you can think whatever you want, even if it's childish, and it doesn't matter. Your thoughts belong to you, and only you." (p. 225)
January 3, 2020
Cross-posted from my blog where there's more information on where I got my copy and links and everything.
I really like middle grade books about sisters, I’m realizing. I love that Dicey Tillerman, Delphine Gaither type of character. Sol reminds me so much of them that I feel like I should start keeping a list of this type of book. Her voice is so mature and that lends itself very well to a character that feels the weight of the world on her shoulders.
I actually went into this expecting something quite a bit fluffier in tone, mostly because of the cover. (Side note, as adorable as the cover is, Sol is a little um. A little lighter on the cover than she’s described in the book, where she talks about being fairly dark skinned. Cover, what’s going on?) The subject matter of this, though, is quite serious. There’s child abuse, the heroes bully a girl (and later come to realize how wrong that was), and it can be a little intense.
Overall, I loved the voice of this and the characters were great, so vibrant and interesting. The only thing I don’t love is that the abuse in the book is left kind of unresolved. I realize this is realistic and try in the real world, but sometimes I don’t want books to be one hundred percent true to life because I want kids reading to know it’s okay to tell someone about something like this, and to have hope things will get better. And they do, but I guess I want a way that’s a little more drastic and permanant than what happens in the book, I guess. I just feel like there wasn’t enough resolution for the abuse subplot. I would honestly be wholeheartedly behind a sequel to this.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed this and the voice was so good that I really want to read more of the author’s books.
I really like middle grade books about sisters, I’m realizing. I love that Dicey Tillerman, Delphine Gaither type of character. Sol reminds me so much of them that I feel like I should start keeping a list of this type of book. Her voice is so mature and that lends itself very well to a character that feels the weight of the world on her shoulders.
I actually went into this expecting something quite a bit fluffier in tone, mostly because of the cover. (Side note, as adorable as the cover is, Sol is a little um. A little lighter on the cover than she’s described in the book, where she talks about being fairly dark skinned. Cover, what’s going on?) The subject matter of this, though, is quite serious. There’s child abuse, the heroes bully a girl (and later come to realize how wrong that was), and it can be a little intense.
Overall, I loved the voice of this and the characters were great, so vibrant and interesting. The only thing I don’t love is that the abuse in the book is left kind of unresolved. I realize this is realistic and try in the real world, but sometimes I don’t want books to be one hundred percent true to life because I want kids reading to know it’s okay to tell someone about something like this, and to have hope things will get better. And they do, but I guess I want a way that’s a little more drastic and permanant than what happens in the book, I guess. I just feel like there wasn’t enough resolution for the abuse subplot. I would honestly be wholeheartedly behind a sequel to this.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed this and the voice was so good that I really want to read more of the author’s books.
March 28, 2021
I had so much fun reading this book. It was a perfect choice in soothing my possible reading slump. I love how light it is and amazing the characters were. It connects me somehow since like the main protagonist I am also the eldest among my siblings. Though on the other hand, there were some issues that weren't resolved and close properly but still I give it a 5 star since it warms my heart and felt the message of the author to its reader.
March 15, 2017
Wow, Soledad you and Ming have a pretty rough life. But, I love this book so much, was the end suppose to be a cliffhanger? My grandma is like Ms.Yueng, gotta love her. I have so many questions about what happened, everything came into the picture. For those of you that have NOT read this book, I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys learning about other cultures. I developed a lovable feeling for this book. I couldn't put it DOWN!
June 16, 2017
"The truth has a thousand voices."
What a meaningful, poignant and timely book. This is a great cultural narrative that would pair with so many great pieces of historical fictions about the immigrant narrative. It would create some powerful comparisons to the past and present immigrant experience.
What gorgeous voices.
What a meaningful, poignant and timely book. This is a great cultural narrative that would pair with so many great pieces of historical fictions about the immigrant narrative. It would create some powerful comparisons to the past and present immigrant experience.
What gorgeous voices.
February 4, 2020
Urmm... I don't know but I seem to can't get into the story. I might give this book a second chance of reading soon.
May 3, 2020
Rep: Filipino mcs, Latino side character
CWs: child abuse
CWs: child abuse
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