CW: off page non-described sexual assault by family member

Well that was a powerful middle-school verse novel about surviving trauma.

Tori was an exceptionally well written character and I was drawn into her journey of fear, shame and anger. This is quite a heavy topic to tackle in a middle-school novel however it was done with a warm openness and sensitivity. I thoroughly recommend this healing verse novel for middle-school libraries and it would be probably be okay for NZ Y9 too. ( )

Tori suffers emotionally and mentally after being molested by her uncle and her mother not believing her at first. It causes a rift with Grandma, and her father threatens to take custody of Tori and her sister Tay. Talking with Laila, a therapist, helps, as does finally confiding in her best friend Rhea. Somehow I wasn't fully engaged by Tori's journey. It felt more like a deliberate inventory of the fits and starts toward healing. ( )