The Places We Sleep

By Caroline Brooks DuBois

A girl faces upheaval as her family and country are torn apart by war.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 524 ratings

272 pages

$16.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

In September 2001, Abbey, a twelve-year-old Army kid, struggles to find stability in Tennessee. As she finally makes a friend, the world shifts with the events of September 11. With her father preparing for duty and her mother grieving, Abbey must navigate a new reality. Can she find her place amidst chaos and change? This poignant novel in verse captures a young girl's journey through personal and national turmoil, offering a heartfelt glimpse into the military family experience during a pivotal moment in history.

From the publisher

A family divided, a country going to war, and a girl desperate to feel at home converge in this stunning novel in verse.

It’s early September 2001, and twelve-year-old Abbey is the new kid at school. Again.

I worry about people speaking to me / and worry just the same / when they don’t.

Tennessee is her family’s latest stop in a series of moves due to her dad’s work in the Army, but this one might be different. Her school is far from Base, and for the first time, Abbey has found a real friend: loyal, courageous, athletic Camille.

And then it’s September 11. The country is under attack, and Abbey’s “home” looks like it might fall apart. America has changed overnight.

How are we supposed / to keep this up / with the world / crumbling / around us?

Abbey’s body changes, too, while her classmates argue and her family falters. Like everyone around her, she tries to make sense of her own experience as a part of the country’s collective pain. With her mother grieving and her father prepping for active duty, Abbey must learn to cope on her own.

Written in gorgeous narrative verse, Abbey’s coming-of-age story accessibly portrays the military family experience during a tumultuous period in our history. At once personal and universal, it’s a perfect read for fans of sensitive, tender-hearted books like The Thing About Jellyfish.

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