The Bitter Side of Sweet

Praise for The Bitter Side of Sweet: “A gripping and painful portrait of modern-day child slavery in the cacao plantations of the Ivory Coast.”—The Wall Street Journal * “A tender, harrowing story of family, friendship, and the pursuit of freedom.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review * “In crisp, accessible prose, Sullivan draws readers into a most compelling story of survival under unspeakable hardship, bravery, and teamwork… Absorbing and important.”—Booklist, starred review  * “[A] heart-wrenching survival tale.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review * “An engaging story that will engender empathy in readers.”—School Library Journal, starred review * “Curriculum connections abound and even reluctant readers will be drawn to the suspenseful plot and distinctive characters.”—SLC, starred review“First-world readers will learn much about how their pleasures are underwritten by the labor of their third- world peers…The resolution…is an as-good-as-it-gets kind of compromise that leaves much room for the activism advocated for in the author’s note that follows.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “This beautiful story of love triumphing over cruelty and profit stands out as an excellent book discussion choice or classroom study.”—VOYA

Tara Sullivan is the author of the award-winning and critically acclaimed Golden Boy. She was born in India and spent her childhood living in Bangladesh, Ecuador, Bolivia, and the Dominican Republic with her parents, who were international aid workers. She received a BA in Spanish literature and cognitive science from the University of Virginia, and an MA in Latin American Studies and an MPA in nonprofit management from Indiana University. She currently lives with her family in Massachusetts.