ALA Notable ChildrenтАЩs Book
Kirkus┬аReviews тАЬBest ChildrenтАЩs Book of the YearтАЭ
Winner of the North Carolina Juvenile Literature Award
Winner of the┬аNAPPA┬аGold Award
A feisty┬аtweenage┬аorphan discovers what it means to love and be loved in this powerful coming-of-age novel about hope, redemption, and found family
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A headstrong girl. A stray cat. A wild boy. A man who plays with fire. Eleven-year-old Zo├л trusts no one. Her father left before she was born. At the death┬аof her irresponsible mother, Zo├л goes to live with her uncle, former surgeon and famed metal sculptor, Dr. Henry┬аRoyster. She's sure Henry will fail her as everyone else has. Reclusive since his wifeтАЩs death, Henry takes Zo├л to Sugar Hill, North Carolina, where he welds sculptures as stormy as his moods.
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Zo├л and Henry have much in common: brains, fiery and creative natures, and badly broken hearts. Zo├л confronts small-town prejudice with a quick temper. She warms to HenryтАЩs odd but devoted friends, meets a mysterious teenage boy living wild in the neighboring woods, and works to win the trust of a feral cat while struggling to trust in anyone herself.
In this award-winning coming-of-age tale for young readers, Zo├лтАЩs questing spirit leads her to uncover the wild boyтАЩs identity, lay bare a local lie, and begin to understand the true power of HenryтАЩs art. Then one decisive night she and the boy risk everything in a reckless act of heroism . . .