A Schneider Family Book Award Honor
Emilia Torres has a wandering mind. It's hard for her to follow along at school, and sometimes she forgets to do what her mom asks. But she remembers what matters: a time when her family was whole. When Dad returns from deployment, Emilia expects that her life will get back to normal. Instead, it unravels. Dad shuts himself in the back stall of their family's auto shop to work on an old car. Emilia is mesmerized by his welder. One day, Dad calls Emilia over. Then, he teaches her how to weld. And over time, flickers of her old dad reappear. But as Emilia finds a way to repair the relationship with her father at home, her community ruptures with some of her classmates at the center of the conflict.
Age Range: 10-17 | Grade Level: 5-6 | Lexile Measure: 680L