Brother's Keeper

Winner of the Freeman Book Award
A Jane Addams Children‘s Book Award Finalist
An International Literacy Association Intermediate Fiction Award Winner
An American Library Association Notable Children‘s Book
An American Library Association RISE Selection
A Booklist Lasting Connections Selection
A Booklist Top 10 First Novels for Youth Selection
A Virginia Reads Selection
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A Bank Street Best Children‘s Book of the Year, with Outstanding Merit
A Junior Library Guild Selection

“In its portrayal of hardship and survival, Brother‘s Keeper joins a rich tradition of stories about children on wartime journeys.”—The Wall Street Journal

★ “An amazing debut and an important book.”—Booklist, Starred Review

★ “Debut author Lee paints this gripping and emotional midwinter escape with the eye of a wartime journalist and the determined heart of a young girl.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
 
★ “A harrowing, heartbreaking tale of hope, love, and survival against insurmountable odds. . . . With an artful and expressive narrative voice, and inspiration drawn from her mother’s experiences in Korea as a young woman, debut novelist Lee enthralls and enlightens.” —School Library Journal, Starred Review
 
★ “A moving, suspenseful refugee story . . . the book is at heart a poignant exploration of a girl’s struggle against traditional female roles and her determination to succeed on her own terms.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Overlapping historical accuracy with personal testimony, Lee presents a nuanced story of strength, tenacity and everlasting family bonds.”— Shelf Awareness

“The narrative makes a painful reality of the deprivation that people faced when fleeing their homes . . . At its heart, Brother‘s Keeper is about families and how they overcome hardship and loss. The Korean War and Korean culture act as a powerful setting for this work, and the strength and sorrow of Sora and Youngsoo are haunting.” —Foreword Reviews
 
“The martial and political conflict in 1950 Korea is catalyst and backdrop, and the story of the Pak children’s treacherous flight is compelling. The underlying domestic struggle between Sora and her parents carries equal weight, though.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children‘s Books

“Lee does an excellent job of conveying Korea’s powerful but painful history . . . Daring.”—The Korean Quarterly

“Will ultimately be recognized as one of the best books for middle and high school students on the Korean War, and a captivating and inspiring read for people of all ages.”—Education About Asia, the Association for Asian Studies

“Each character emerges as fully realized . . . Outstanding.”—The Redeemed Reader

“Unbelievably powerful, this hauntingly beautiful story was so intense that, at times, it had me afraid to turn the pages. I never knew what to expect around the corner.”—Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honoree Linda Williams Jackson, author of Midnight Without a Moon