✨ Featured Offer
Overview
*Newbery Honor Book*
*Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor*
A candid and fierce middle grade novel about sisterhood and sexual abuse, by two-time Newbery Honor winner and #1 New York Times best seller Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, author of The War that Saved My Life
Kirkus Prize Finalist
Boston Globe Best Book of the Year
Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Booklist Best Book of the Year
Kirkus Best Book of the Year
BookPage Best Book of the Year
New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
ALSC Notable Book
"Fighting Words is raw, it is real, it is necessary, a must-read for children and their adults--a total triumph in all ways." --Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s
Ten-year-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom's boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della's own wolf--her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della's world turns so far upside down, it feels like it's shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she's been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it's time to be loud.
In this powerful novel that explodes the stigma around child sexual abuse and leavens an intense tale with compassion and humor, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley tells a story about two sisters, linked by love and trauma, who must find their own voices before they can find their way back to each other.
"Della's matter-of-fact narration manages to be as funny and charming as it is devastatingly sad. . . . This is a novel about trauma [but] more than that, it's a book about resilience, strength and healing. For every young reader who decides to wait . . . there will be others for whom this is the exact book they need right now." --New York Times Book Review
"One of the most important books ever written for kids."--Colby Sharp of Nerdy Book Club
"One for the history books."--Betsy Bird for A Fuse #8 Production/SLJ
"Gripping. Life-changing...I am awe-struck."--Donna Gephart, author of Lily and Dunkin
"Compassionate, truthful, and beautiful."--Elana K. Arnold, author of Damsel
"I am blown away. [This] may be Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's best work yet."--Barbara Dee, author of Maybe He Just Likes You
"A book that lets [kids] know they have never been alone. And never will be."--Kat Yeh, author of The Truth About Twinkie Pie
"Meets the criteria of great children's literature that [will] resonate with adults too."--Bitch Media
* "At once heartbreaking and hopeful."--Kirkus (starred review)
* "Honest [and] empowering...An important book for readers of all ages."--SLJ (starred review)
* "Sensitive[,] deft, and vivid."--BCCB (starred review)
* "Prepare to read furiously."--Booklist (starred review)
* "An essential, powerful mirror and window for any reader."--PW (starred review)
* "Enlightening, empowering and--yes--uplifting."--BookPage (starred review)
* "Unforgettable."--The Horn Book (starred review)
*Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor*
A candid and fierce middle grade novel about sisterhood and sexual abuse, by two-time Newbery Honor winner and #1 New York Times best seller Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, author of The War that Saved My Life
Kirkus Prize Finalist
Boston Globe Best Book of the Year
Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Booklist Best Book of the Year
Kirkus Best Book of the Year
BookPage Best Book of the Year
New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
ALSC Notable Book
"Fighting Words is raw, it is real, it is necessary, a must-read for children and their adults--a total triumph in all ways." --Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s
Ten-year-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom's boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della's own wolf--her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della's world turns so far upside down, it feels like it's shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she's been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it's time to be loud.
In this powerful novel that explodes the stigma around child sexual abuse and leavens an intense tale with compassion and humor, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley tells a story about two sisters, linked by love and trauma, who must find their own voices before they can find their way back to each other.
"Della's matter-of-fact narration manages to be as funny and charming as it is devastatingly sad. . . . This is a novel about trauma [but] more than that, it's a book about resilience, strength and healing. For every young reader who decides to wait . . . there will be others for whom this is the exact book they need right now." --New York Times Book Review
"One of the most important books ever written for kids."--Colby Sharp of Nerdy Book Club
"One for the history books."--Betsy Bird for A Fuse #8 Production/SLJ
"Gripping. Life-changing...I am awe-struck."--Donna Gephart, author of Lily and Dunkin
"Compassionate, truthful, and beautiful."--Elana K. Arnold, author of Damsel
"I am blown away. [This] may be Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's best work yet."--Barbara Dee, author of Maybe He Just Likes You
"A book that lets [kids] know they have never been alone. And never will be."--Kat Yeh, author of The Truth About Twinkie Pie
"Meets the criteria of great children's literature that [will] resonate with adults too."--Bitch Media
* "At once heartbreaking and hopeful."--Kirkus (starred review)
* "Honest [and] empowering...An important book for readers of all ages."--SLJ (starred review)
* "Sensitive[,] deft, and vivid."--BCCB (starred review)
* "Prepare to read furiously."--Booklist (starred review)
* "An essential, powerful mirror and window for any reader."--PW (starred review)
* "Enlightening, empowering and--yes--uplifting."--BookPage (starred review)
* "Unforgettable."--The Horn Book (starred review)
| ISBN-13 | 9781984815705 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10 | 1984815709 |
| Weight | 0.50 Pounds |
| Dimensions | 5.00 x 0.70 x 7.75 In |
| List Price | $8.99 |
| Format | - |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Pages | 272 pages |
| Publisher | Dial Books |
| Published On | 2021-08-10 |
View All Offers
Sort by:
Price
Condition
Seller
Seller Comments
Price
Used, Good
Seller details
Greenworld Books
Arlington, TX, USA
Good condition. It may show normal signs of use such as light writing highlighting or library markin...
Free delivery by: 04 Apr 2026
Used, Good
Seller details
Goodwill of Greater Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI, USA
Book is considered to be in good or better condition. The actual cover image may not match the sto...
Free delivery by: 04 Apr 2026
Used, Good
Seller details
Goodwill of Colorado
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, USA
All pages and cover are intact. Dust jacket included if applicable though it may be missing on har...
Free delivery by: 04 Apr 2026
Used, Good
Seller details
Gulf Coast Books
Cypress, TX, USA
Size: 5x0x7;
Free delivery by: 04 Apr 2026
Used, Good
Seller details
Orion Tech
Arlington, TX, USA
Size: 5x0x7;
Free delivery by: 04 Apr 2026
✨ Brand New
Seller details
Bookstores.com
Free delivery by: 02 Apr 2026