ALA Notable Childrenβs Book
KirkusΒ Reviews βBest Childrenβs Book of the Yearβ
Winner of the North Carolina Juvenile Literature Award
Winner of theΒ NAPPAΒ Gold Award
A feistyΒ tweenageΒ orphan 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 ZoΓ« trusts no one. Her father left before she was born. At the deathΒ of her irresponsible mother, ZoΓ« goes to live with her uncle, former surgeon and famed metal sculptor, Dr. HenryΒ Royster. She's sure Henry will fail her as everyone else has. Reclusive since his wifeβs death, Henry takes ZoΓ« to Sugar Hill, North Carolina, where he welds sculptures as stormy as his moods.
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ZoΓ« and Henry have much in common: brains, fiery and creative natures, and badly broken hearts. ZoΓ« confronts small-town prejudice with a quick temper. She warms to Henryβs 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, ZoΓ«βs questing spirit leads her to uncover the wild boyβs identity, lay bare a local lie, and begin to understand the true power of Henryβs art. Then one decisive night she and the boy risk everything in a reckless act of heroism . . .