Thursday's Child

"A startling coming-of-age story. . . . Through Harper, Hartnett captures the humanity of her spirited, slightly eccentric, and then nearly broken characters." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Harper Flute believes that her younger brother Tin, with his uncanny ability to dig, was born to burrow. While their family struggles to survive in a bleak landscape during the Great Depression, the silent and elusive little Tin begins to tunnel beneath their tiny shanty. As time passes, Tin becomes a wild thing, leaving his family further and further behind. Sonya Hartnett tells a breathtakingly original coming-of-age story through the clear eyes of an observant child, with exquisite prose, richly drawn characters, and a touch of magical realism.

“"Sonya Hartnett has written a haunting story that burrows deep into the hidden lives of children. Beautifully written and endlessly satisfying."--Ellen Wittlinger, author of HARD LOVE, a Michael L. Printz honor book -- None "THURSDAY'S CHILD is a brilliant story, brilliantly told--so deeply imagined and dreamlike in its unfolding, so compelling and believable in the wild, extreme world it creates. Hartnett's beautifully rendered vision drew me in from the very start and carried me along, above and under ground, to the very end. This book amazed me." --Carolyn Coman, award-winning author of MANY STONES and WHAT JAMIE SAW -- None”

"Sonya Hartnett has written a haunting story that burrows deep into the hidden lives of children. Beautifully written and endlessly satisfying."—Ellen Wittlinger, author of HARD LOVE, a Michael L. Printz honor book — None

"THURSDAY'S CHILD is a brilliant story, brilliantly told—so deeply
imagined and dreamlike in its unfolding, so compelling and believable
in the wild, extreme world it creates. Hartnett's beautifully
rendered vision drew me in from the very start and carried me along,
above and under ground, to the very end. This book amazed me."

—Carolyn Coman, award-winning author of MANY STONES and WHAT JAMIE SAW — None

Sonya Hartnett is the author of several acclaimed novels - the first written when she was just thirteen - and the recipient of many prestigious awards in her native Australia. She says Tin and his tunneling had their origin in ants: "I was living at the time in two rooms, just going back and forth, back and forth as I watched an entire summer of ants excavating under my house. One day it occurred to me that they probably had a huge palace under there. And that’s when I started to think about ways of taking your existence into your own hands - of how, if the space around you was not big enough, you might just dig out some more." This is Sonya Hartnett’s first book with Candlewick Press.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.