Fighting Words

By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Two sisters face trauma and silence. Can they find their voices and heal?

4.6/5 Goodreads · 14,327 ratings

272 pages· 49,943 words· Est. 7 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

Ten-year-old Della relies on her sister Suki for protection. But when Suki attempts suicide, Della's world shatters. As secrets unravel, Della must decide if it's time to speak out. Can the sisters find their voices and heal from the past?

From the publisher

A candid and fierce middle grade novel about sisterhood and sexual abuse, by Newbery Honor winner and #1 New York Times best seller Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

Ten-tear-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom’s boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della’s own wolf–her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della’s world turns so far upside down, it feels like it’s shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she’s been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it’s time to be loud.

In this powerful novel that explodes the stigma around child sexual abuse and leavens an intense tale with compassion and humor, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley tells a story about two sisters, linked by love and trauma, who must find their own voices before they can find their way back to each other.

Awards

Newbery Honor (2021)Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor (2021)Golden Kite Honor (2021)Odyssey Honor (2021)

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 272
Words: 49,943
Reading age: 10–99+
Audience: Middle Grade
Lexile: HL540L

Themes & topics

Books about family problems Books about sexual abuse Books about trauma Books about sisters Books about abuse

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Serious Subject Matter

Addresses child sexual abuse and attempted suicide.

For readers who can't stop at one