SOLVED. Young child wants to go back to home (possibly in foster care) keeps saying she has a stuffed animal or blanket to take care of. Spoiler ahead. [s]

[Kelli]

SPOILER AHEAD: I read this book 2-3 years ago, and don’t remember many details. A child is taken out of their home, and put into foster care (I think). I believe the child is nonverbal or has limited language and keeps wanting to go home to find or take care of a stuffed animal they had left. Had a special name for it I cannot remember. SPOILER: eventually you find out the bio mom secretly had another baby, and that’s who the child needed to find and continue to take care of.

[Rainbowheart]

Fiction or non-fiction?

Was this book for kids, teens, or adults?

[SamSpayedPI]

Probably not goodnight mr tom but something in your description triggered a memory of this book, so I thought I'd mention it just in case (a lot of details don't match!).

London is poised on the brink of World War II. Timid, scrawny Willie Beech--the abused child of a single mother--is evacuated to the English countryside. At first, he is terrified of everything, of the country sounds and sights, even of Mr. Tom, the gruff, kindly old man who has taken him in. But gradually Willie forgets the hate and despair of his past. He learns to love a world he never knew existed, a world of friendship and affection in which harsh words and daily beatings have no place. Then a telegram comes. Willie must return to his mother in London. When weeks pass by with no word from Willie, Mr. Tom sets out for London to look for the young boy he has come to love as a son.

[Kelli]

I BELIEVE it is fiction, although possibly based on a true story? It was an easy read because it was written in part in the child’s voice, but it was not a children’s book.

It’s not Goodnight Mr. Tom, although that sounds like a good one too! Thanks for your help anyway :)

[Angela]

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig?

From School Library Journal:

"When Ginny Moon was nine, she was removed from her abusive mother Gloria's custody and placed in foster care. Before she left, however, she put Baby Doll in a suitcase located in Gloria's apartment to keep her toy safe. Now Ginny is 14 and has been adopted by a loving couple who help her deal with her autism. But she is tormented by concern for Baby Doll. Is Ginny's cherished possession still in the suitcase? Her well-meaning parents have repeatedly offered to get her a new doll, which only exacerbates the teen's isolation and despair. Ginny's first-person narration reveals the gulf between her rich internal life and her ability to communicate with the outside world. Misunderstood and at odds with those around her, Ginny begins her quest to rescue Baby Doll while seemingly oblivious to the protections in place that prevent her from returning to Gloria, creating turmoil within her new family. Like any tale with an unreliable narrator, the book relies on details that gradually coalesce and make sense. Ludwig's debut novel incorporates his personal experience as the adoptive father of a teen with autism. The result is an enthralling, suspenseful, and heartfelt work. VERDICT A go-to choice for those seeking fresh, compelling storytelling, particularly those fascinated by Mark Haddon's now-classic The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.—Diane Colson, formerly at City College, Gainesville, FL --Diane Colson (Reviewed 10/01/2017) (School Library Journal, vol 63, issue 10, p117)"

[Kelli]

YES, GINNY MOON! Thank you so much, you’re amazing!