Finding Harmony

  • Pages:264
  • Publisher:Orca Book Publishers
  • Themes:parental neglect, coming of age, social worker, family court, resilience
  •  
  • Available:02/11/2025
  • Lexile:580L
  • Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient:Y
Paperback
9781459836426
$14.95
EPUB
9781459836440 LICENSE OPTIONS
$11.99

So what if Harmony has to be the grown-up?

After months living in a foster home (again), Harmony convinces a judge that she can move back in with her mother. Her mom even finds an apartment that the social worker, Gloria, can't find fault with. But now Harmony has an even bigger battle ahead—trying to keep her mom on the straight and narrow, or at least keep Gloria from finding out when she slips. Which she does. A lot. Often left to fend for herself, Harmony finds an ally in Mr. Khaled, the owner of the convenience store across the street. He helps Harmony out with food in exchange for some part-time work. And at school, her principal seems to be on her side. Even so, it feels like Harmony’s life is always one step from falling apart, and she can't really trust anyone.

Harmony knows the question is less about whether she'll return to foster care and more about when she's ready to do it.

Finding Harmony is the prequel to the Governor General's award-winning The King of Jam Sandwiches. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

★ “Tug at the heartstrings and tickle the funny bone…This warm tale is definitely one for the keeper shelves. Highly recommended.” —School Library Journal (SLJ), starred review for The King of Jam Sandwiches

“Eric Walters has done it again with this engaging, empowering story of twelve-year-old Harmony, a former foster kid navigating her way through the world and her problematic relationship with her mother. She is a likeable, strong character who uses her energy for survival, protecting her mom and creating a community with the people around her. Many readers will see themselves in Harmony, as kids so often have to live in a world made more difficult by adults behaving badly. Finding Harmony is a terrific read and will be gobbled up by Eric’s many fans.”

– Deborah Ellis, award-winning author of The Breadwinner
“Learning to trust is hard, but never trusting is harder. Eric Walters has created a character in Harmony who will break your heart and give you hope in the same moment. You will fall in love with her, root for her and, most importantly, empathize with her. A must-read prequel to The King of Jam Sandwiches.”
– Carol Matas, award-winning author of Zevi Takes the Spotlight

“This sobering work is a powerful and realistic portrait of a struggling child. Resonant and haunting.”

– Kirkus Reviews

“From the outset […] we are introduced to a strong, smart, independent child who has been through at least four foster homes. Finding Harmony is a heavy book that should, perhaps, come with trigger warnings for Harmony’s troubled home life, but it is no less a stand-alone and a standout.”

– Booklist

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