Paper Chains

Best friends Katie and Ana used to be inseparable. But at a time when they need each other the most, the links between the girls are beginning to break. Before they lose each other, they must work through the tangles of secrets to the shining truth underneath: friendship, just like family, is worth fighting for.

“A well-told story celebrating the power of friendship to comfort and heal.”

Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Katie and Ana are the kind of friends who share everything with each other—friendship bracelets, hidden messages, and ice skating escapades. But some things you can’t share, even with your best friend, and lately, Katie and Ana have been keeping secrets from each other.

Katie has always known she was adopted, but recently she’s been wondering about her birth parents and her birthplace. She worries that saying this out loud—even to her best friend—could mess up the perfect family she has now.

Ana’s family has been falling apart ever since her dad left, and it’s up to her to hold it together. But Ana fears no matter how hard she tries, her family may never be whole again.

At a time when they need each other the most, the links between the girls are beginning to break. Before they lose each other, they must work through the tangles of secrets to the shining truth underneath: friendship, just like family, is worth fighting for.

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Praise for Paper Chains

  • A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
  • A Children's Book Review Best Book of 2017
  • A Mighty Girl's Best Books of 2017
  • Whitney Award Winner for Best Middle Grade Novel
  • An AML Middle Grade Novel Award Finalist
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“A well-told story celebrating the power of friendship to comfort and heal when families fall short.”

Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Endearing, authentic...A captivating story with tremendous heart.”

School Library Journal

“Vickers offers insightful portrayals of the two main characters as well as the complex backstories that make up their family lives.”

Booklist

“The novel is honest about how difficult changes, internal and external, can be, but is ultimately reassuring: traditions, even beloved ones, are allowed to evolve.”

The Horn Book

"Lovely."

The Salt Lake Tribune

“A beautifully written story about the power of friendship. . . Vickers explores the complexities of family with gentleness and care.”

Deseret News

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