By turns harrowing, dreamlike, sad, and triumphant, this searing debut novel, written in lucid verse, reveals an unforgettable perspective on the lasting impact of the Vietnam War on its survivors and the healing power of love.

NAACP Image Award winner and ALA Notable, this luminous, celebrated novel in verse is now in paperback.
Serafina made a secret promise
to go to school and learn to read
so she can become a doctor
with her best friend, Julie Marie.
But following her dream isn't easy-
endless chores, little money
and stomach-rumbling hunger
all test her resolve.
When an earthquake hits
and separates Serafina
from friends and family,
she encounters her biggest test of all.
Serafina made a secret promise.
Will she survive to keep it?