From the Bookshelf of Appomattox Regional Library System…

[close] My daughter read this book before me, and when she finished it she said, "Mom, you HAVE to read this book". I am so glad I listened to her. This is one of the loveliest books I have read, not just recently, but ever.
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one room apartment in WWII-era London. Born with a club foot, Ada is not allowed to even step out of the apartment to go down the hall to the communal bathroom. So when her little brother Jamie is sent to the country to escape the war, Ada sneaks out to join him.
The adventure that follows for Ada and Jamie, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take them in, is a beautiful one. The story of Ada, a child who has lived all her life hearing - and believing - that she is worthless trash because of her foot, is both heartbreaking and joyous. The happiness she feels the first time she is able to touch Susan's pony Butter is so very sweet. Being able to witness the transformation that the three undergo is a true gift. I cried many times while reading this one, sometimes sad tears, but also happy ones.
I HIGHLY recommend this book for girls, and I also think it would be a wonderful choice for those that have mother/daughter book clubs. There are tough topics in this book (war, the place of women and children in society, family, child abuse), but they are all extremely important and need to be discussed.