Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. 256 p. Dial Books/ Penguin Random House, August, 2020 9781984816582. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)
Middle Grade Monday wishes a belated happy book birthday (8/11) to Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Fans of Ms. Bradley's The War That Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won already know they are in for an unforgettable reading experience. Ms. Bradley has a gift for rendering complex, memorable characters while also keeping the plot moving. Ada was a narrator who moved into my heart-space. Now she needs to make room for Della.
Ten-year-old Della, short for Delicious, "What was my mother thinking?" narrates this compelling, devastating and important new book. Della captivates from the very first line, "My new tattoo is covered by a Band-Aid, but halfway through recess, the Band-Aid falls off." Remember I said she's ten? She is blunt and prone to using salty language, even in the classroom and even with the principal. Suki, her sixteen-year-old sister, tries her best to protect and advise Della. Della doesn't really remember her mother, who "had the brains of a hamster" according to Suki. Della was very young when she and Suki nearly lost their lives. Their mother set their motel room on fire while cooking meth. The two ended up living with Clifton, their mom's long-haul truck driving boyfriend until something happened and now they live with Francine, their foster mother. Della eases into the bad parts slowly allowing tween readers as well as herself to process what happened. Her blunt observations are quite often laugh-out-loud funny, which helps when we get to the really tough parts.
Della and Suki are incredibly brave and resilient. Yet even the strongest steel has a breaking point. The two are lucky to have landed with Francine, their no-nonsense but caring foster mother. The girls have been so used to fending for themselves that they are wary of Francine. But Francine knows the ropes and what to request for the girls even though Child Protective Services is slow to act.
Children need to feel safe and loved as much as they need food and shelter. Higher levels of functioning, like learning is impossible in survival mode and both Della and Suki have learning deficits. I'd like to think that most children in the communities in which I live and work are growing up in a stable, secure home; but the reality is that even the appearance of affluence is not indicative of an environment where a child can thrive. It is a dangerous assumption.
This story about child neglect, abuse and sexual assault will not be a comfortable read. Know that from the start. These are tough topics to broach with children. They are topics usually relegated to a YA audience. But waiting for a child to be a young adult in order to see themselves in literature and learn that such treatment is not okay, not their fault and is not a secret that should be kept, is way too late. This year has seen the release of several excellent middle grade books that deal with the topic (When You Know What I Know and Chirp). Every teacher should read them all. Indeed, every adult who works with or has a child in their life should.
Both Della and Suki will reside in my heart for a very long time. And Francine is one fierce woman! I hope Fighting Words gets the readership it deserves. And all the awards. It has earned seven starred reviews (!) so the committees ought to be taking a look at it.
I listened to a sample of the audio book narrated by Bahni Turpin when I visited the publisher website for the cover image. I am definitely rereading this one with my ears. Ms. Turpin is an outstanding narrator and Della is a memorable character. Check out the sample by clicking on the link below the cover image above.
