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Rosa, Sola

Rosa, Sola

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$9.99
$8.95
$8.95 - $8.95
$8.95
Publisher: Arquilla Press
Publication Date:
Format: Paperback
Pages: 176
Availability: In Stock
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Longing for a sibling in 1966 Chicago, fourth-grader Rosa is delighted with her mother's pregnancy, until tragedy strikes and her family struggles to deal with its grief. A Booklist Top Ten First Novel for Youth and winner of a 2017 Catholic Press Association Book Award Honorable Mention in the Children's Books Category. Includes Discussion Guide.

Read the First Chapter Now

Sexuality: None Violence & Gore: None While there is no violence or gore in the novel, the family suffers a terrible loss—the sibling Rosa prays for is stillborn. The subject is handled from a child’s point of view and is based on the author’s experience of losing her own brother when she was ten years old. One of the novel’s themes is that God gives us the grace to deal with tragedy, and the ending is a hopeful one. Rosa, Sola is recommended for ages ten and up, however, parents of sensitive children may want to read the novel first or along with their child. Profanity: None Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: Mild

Adults drink wine with meals several times. At one meal, Rosa’s parents and godparents share a celebratory toast with wine and Rosa takes a sip but doesn’t like it.

After devastating news, Papa overindulges in wine and appears to be drunk.

Editorial Reviews

"Offering a great deal of nuance within an approachable narrative, this tender novel glows with affection and hope for its grieving family—and with promise for its first-time author." —Starred review, Booklist

 "A lucid and quiet telling that respects its characters’ historical perspectives."—Chicago Tribune

 "The story unfolds layer by layer, revealing each character’s personality, secrets, and flaws. . . . The healing is drawn honestly and the ending is ultimately hopeful."—School Library Journal

 "A warm, tender tale that touches the heart."—Kirkus Reviews

 ". . . the novel is a more than helpful answer to the age-old question of why God sometimes answers prayers in unusual ways."—Catholic Explorer

 "Rosa’s story is about how hope and love can grow out of misfortune and despair."—Italian Catholic Federation Bollettino

Customer Reviews

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L
Leslea Wahl
Heart-warming story

Rosa Sola is a beautiful story about an Italian immigrant family in the 1960’s. Rosa is in the fourth grade and wants nothing more than a baby brother. She decides to pray for a brother until God blesses her family. Amazingly, her prayers are answered! All seems perfect when she finds out her mother is expecting a baby, she will no longer be the odd girl at school with no siblings. But when tragedy strikes her family, she has many hard lessons to learn.
This novel, for older elementary and middle school students, is a lovely story from a young girl’s perspective about the difficulties of life, understanding other people’s problems, and the importance of faith. My heart ached for this young girl who was forced to grow up quickly and face many tough lessons by herself when her parents were unable to be there for her. But during this difficult time, young Rosa learned much about her family, her faith, as well as her own strength and determination.

C
Customer
Beautifully Written!

Tender, beautifully-written story of love, longing, and loss. Carmela Martino expertly captures the the dreams and hopes of childhood along with the joys and grief that are an inevitable part of family life. I especially enjoyed the coziness of this Italian-American family and its setting - both in time and place.

Highly recommended for children and young teens but also enjoyable for adults. My fourth grader will be reading this next. I'll give her a tissue warning, but a few shed tears are well worth the honest portrayal of faith and family life that Rosa, Sola exhibits.