'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Monday 20 April 2020

Junior Review: The Land of Forgotten Girls

Sisters Sol and Ming have each other, and not much else. 

After their mother and sister die, their father remarries and they leave the Philippines for a new life in America. But soon he deserts them as well. 

Left with evil stepmother Vea, their life is hardly a fairy tale, but fairy tales are exactly what these girls need.

With a knack for storytelling inherited from her mother, Sol weaves a world of make-believe for little sister Ming. It’s the only way she can help make their hopeless existence a little more bearable. 

Sol’s tales of dragons, magical quests and mythical Auntie Jove work well, maybe a little too well, when Ming becomes convinced their imaginary aunt is really coming to save them.

The  Land of Forgotten Girls is a beautifully crafted contemporary story about the power of imagination, hope, and that space between truth and make-believe. It also explores the unbreakable bond between sisters, and what really makes a family.

This story will appeal to fans of Kate DiCamillo and Thanhha Lai.
  
Title: The Land of Forgotten Girls
Author: Erin Entrada Kelly
Publisher: Scholastic, $11.90
Publication Date: 24 April 2017
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780062238658
For ages: 8 – 12
Type: Middle Grade Fiction