Fighting Words

I kicked him right in the snow.
Don t you take snow from nobody.
Yeah, that works.
Okay, so back to me. Delicious Nevaeh Roberts. The Nevaeh is heaven spelled backwards, of course. There s usually at least one other girl in my class called Nevaeh. It s a real popular name around here. I don t know why. It sounds dumb to me. Heaven backwards? What was my mother thinking?
Probably she wasn t. That s just the truth. My mother is incarcerated. Her parental rights have been terminated. That just happened lately. Nobody bothered to before, even though by the time she gets out of prison, I ll be old enough to vote.
I can t remember her, except one tiny bit like a scene from a movie. Suki says she was no better than a hamster when it came to being a mother, and hamsters sometimes eat their babies. It was always Suki who took care of me. Mostly still is.
Suki s my sister. She s sixteen.
I m still on the easy part of the story, if you can believe that.
Suki s full name is Suki Grace Roberts. Suki isn t short for anything, though it sounds like it should be. And that Roberts part well, that s our mother s last name too. Suki and me, we don t know who our fathers are, except they were probably different people and neither one of them was Clifton, thank God. Suki swears that s true. I believe her.
Can you say God in a story? Cause I wasn t taking His name in vain, right there. I really am thanking God,whatever God there is, that Clifton ain t my daddy.
Suki used to have a photograph of Mama, from her trial. White pale face, s

inspires others to tell their stories when and how they are able. Sharp characterizations by Newbery Honoree Brubaker Bradley create an essential, powerful mirror and window for any reader. Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Bradley handles these tough subjects in ways that are enlightening, empowering and yes uplifting . . . Fighting Words is a story readers will draw strength from, and Della is a heroine they ll be unlikely to forget. BookPage

Gripping. Life-changing. Essential. Fighting Words is a testament to the power we have when we stand up, speak up, and stick together. Kimberly Brubaker Bradley s talent is extraordinary. I am awe-struck. Donna Gephart, award-winning author of Lily and Dunkin

One of the best books I've ever read. It will go down as one of the best books, one of the most important books, ever written for kids. Colby Sharp of Nerdy Book Club

"The remarkable thing about this book is how infinitely enjoyable it is, in spite of some of the terrible and terrifying content. I picked it up and simply found myself unable to put it down. The VOICE on its 10-year-old narrator Della is one for the history books. One of the best of the year." Betsy Bird for A Fuse #8 Production/SLJ
 
Fighting Words extend[s] the legacy of [Laurie Halse Anderson's] Speak [and] meets the criteria of great children s literature that manages to resonate with adults too. [Readers] will learn about mental health, poverty, addiction, the foster-care system, the importance of consent, and, finally, the importance of destigmatizing these all-too-common stories. The importance and value of speaking." Bitch Media

Rather than shielding her readers, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley arms them with Fighting Words, a compassionate, truthful, and beautiful story about the trauma of sexual abuse and the remarkable power of sisterhood. Elana K. Arnold, Printz Honor-winning author of Damsel
 
I am blown away. This is a powerful, necessary book about a difficult subject, written with honesty, tenderness, and consummate craft. Della s story will burrow deep into your heart. Fighting Words may be Kimberly Brubaker Bradley s best work yet. Barbara Dee, award-winning author of Maybe He Just Likes You

I wish all children were lucky enough that the first time they encountered dark and difficult things, it was not through a swift and sudden rift in their real lives, but within the safe pages of a story. This beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful book is a place where readers can build strength and resilience, page by page, with the gift of opening, closing, and discussing in their own time and at their own pace. And for those who have, till now, felt alone in their hurtful past, this is a book that lets them know they have never been alone. And never will be. Kat Yeh, award-winning author of The Truth About Twinkie Pie

Absolutely magnificent. The voice on this girl I cannot get Della out of my head or my heart. 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