Red Thread Sisters

by Carol Antoinette Peacock

Age group: 10+
Genre: Realistic fiction
Rating: **** (4 stars)

Wen lives in an orphanage in China with her best friend, Shu Ling. Shu Ling and Wen do everything together. Ever since Wen joined the orphanage when she was five, Shu Ling looked after her. But one day everything changes and Wen is adopted by an American family. She's happy about being adopted, but very sad about having to leave Shu Ling behind. Director Feng says she probably isn't going to get adopted, because of her clubfoot. She promises Shu Ling to help her get a home and then leaves for America. Life is hard in America. She knows English but somehow can't let it out. She misses Shu Ling a lot. And most of all, she's finding it really hard to tell her new mom she loves her. But she stays true to her word, and keeps trying to find a family for Shu Ling. It isn't easy--can she do it before Shu Ling turns 14 and can't be adopted any more? She has to--after all, they're red thread sisters.
This book was really great. It had many emotions in it, and the author does a really good job conveying those emotions through the characters. For example, during the one really suspenseful moment in the book, she shows the suspense by describing all the characters rather than just saying it straightforwardly. The characters also have a lot of depth. They are all pretty fully developed and so they're easier to relate to and to feel for. I thought Red Thread Sisters seemed very real and full and warm. I liked it a lot.