Genre Fiction
![Patry Francis - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B001IU0H2C.jpg)
All the Children Are Home: A Novel
A sweeping saga in the vein of Ask Again, Yes following a foster family through almost a decade of dazzling triumph and wrenching heartbreak-from the author of The Orphans at Race Point.
Set in the late 1950s through 1960s in a small town in Massachusetts, All the Children Are Home follows the Moscatelli family-Dahlia and Louie, foster parents, and their long-term foster children Jimmy, Zaidie, and Jon-and the irrevocable changes in their lives when a six-year-old indigenous girl, Agnes, comes to live with them.
When Dahlia decided to become a foster mother, she had a few caveats: no howling newborns, no delinquents, and above all, no girls. A harrowing incident years before left her a virtual prisoner in her own home, forever wary of the heartbreak and limitation of a girl's life.
Eleven years after they began fostering, Dahlia and Louie consider their family complete, but when the social worker begs them to take a young girl who has been horrifically abused and neglected, they can't say no.
Six-year-old Agnes Juniper arrives with no knowledge of her Native American heritage or herself beyond a box of trinkets given to her by her mother and dreamlike memories of her sister. As the years pass and outside forces threaten to tear them apart, the children, now young adults, must find the courage and resilience to save themselves and each other. Heartfelt and enthralling, All the Children Are Home is a moving testament to the enduring power of love in the face of devastating loss.
Set in the late 1950s through 1960s in a small town in Massachusetts, All the Children Are Home follows the Moscatelli family-Dahlia and Louie, foster parents, and their long-term foster children Jimmy, Zaidie, and Jon-and the irrevocable changes in their lives when a six-year-old indigenous girl, Agnes, comes to live with them.
When Dahlia decided to become a foster mother, she had a few caveats: no howling newborns, no delinquents, and above all, no girls. A harrowing incident years before left her a virtual prisoner in her own home, forever wary of the heartbreak and limitation of a girl's life.
Eleven years after they began fostering, Dahlia and Louie consider their family complete, but when the social worker begs them to take a young girl who has been horrifically abused and neglected, they can't say no.
Six-year-old Agnes Juniper arrives with no knowledge of her Native American heritage or herself beyond a box of trinkets given to her by her mother and dreamlike memories of her sister. As the years pass and outside forces threaten to tear them apart, the children, now young adults, must find the courage and resilience to save themselves and each other. Heartfelt and enthralling, All the Children Are Home is a moving testament to the enduring power of love in the face of devastating loss.
Editorial Reviews
"The shifting viewpoints and well-rounded characters coalesce to create a tragic and resilient image of an atypical family. This powerful and deeply moving story deserves a wide audience. " - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"With All the Children Are Home, Patry Francis unspools the sort of heartbreak we only see in the periphery of the news: broken families, abandoned children, lives destroyed by cruelty and violence. As the Moscatelli family gains and loses an assortment of foster children, it also becomes a story that wrests hope and joy out of dark moments, reminding us that family does not require kinship. True family is built of love and perseverance. If this incredibly moving book doesn't bring you to tears, I worry you've misplaced your heart."
- Bryn Greenwood, New York Times bestselling author of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
"A shattering story of how the human spirit can surmount any odds. Gorgeously written, profound, and so inspiring it could be a road map of how to live." - Caroline Leavitt, New York Times Bestselling author of Pictures of You and With or Without You
"This moving novel grabs you by the heart right away and doesn't let go, celebrating the strength of the children who survive tragedy, the adults who take them in and love them, and the diverse families we make not from the people we might be born to but the people who are there and care." - Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Family and Those Who Save Us
"Like Dahlia with her foster-children, Francis cleverly allows each character talk and move and grow at their own pace. The rhythms of the story are those of family life: the stories and relationships grow over the stretch of years, and at the end we feel as a young adult feels when they are on the brink of leaving home: we suddenly look back see it all for the first time, all in the round." - Frances Liardet,
"With All the Children Are Home, Patry Francis unspools the sort of heartbreak we only see in the periphery of the news: broken families, abandoned children, lives destroyed by cruelty and violence. As the Moscatelli family gains and loses an assortment of foster children, it also becomes a story that wrests hope and joy out of dark moments, reminding us that family does not require kinship. True family is built of love and perseverance. If this incredibly moving book doesn't bring you to tears, I worry you've misplaced your heart."
- Bryn Greenwood, New York Times bestselling author of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things
"A shattering story of how the human spirit can surmount any odds. Gorgeously written, profound, and so inspiring it could be a road map of how to live." - Caroline Leavitt, New York Times Bestselling author of Pictures of You and With or Without You
"This moving novel grabs you by the heart right away and doesn't let go, celebrating the strength of the children who survive tragedy, the adults who take them in and love them, and the diverse families we make not from the people we might be born to but the people who are there and care." - Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Family and Those Who Save Us
"Like Dahlia with her foster-children, Francis cleverly allows each character talk and move and grow at their own pace. The rhythms of the story are those of family life: the stories and relationships grow over the stretch of years, and at the end we feel as a young adult feels when they are on the brink of leaving home: we suddenly look back see it all for the first time, all in the round." - Frances Liardet,
Readers Top Reviews
Iris EvansKindle
I loved this book. Every character brought to life and loved in their most imperfect lives. I have never before understood so clearly what matters most.
Richard P.LongCon
I have to admit that I tire quickly of children suffering books. I get the need for writers to process the pain and suffering of others, but please make those experiences interesting to read about. Sorry, I didn't stay with this book beyond the first 200 pages.
Cathryn ConroyRic
The short review: Read this book. Now. The long review: This is the rarest of books in that it not only grabbed my heart and wouldn't let go, but also it made me think—a lot. In addition to sophisticated storytelling, ingenious plotting, and vivid, bold characters that are so real they jump off the page, this novel is a profound examination of the human spirit—the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is a testament to the power of family love to heal and offer the ultimate gift: hope. Best of all, it's just a really, really good read. Exquisitely written by Patry Francis, this is the story of what it means to be a beloved member of a family. Years earlier, Dahlia was the victim of a horrific crime—the details of which are only hinted at until fully revealed near the end of the book—that left her an agoraphobic. Even so, she married Louie, a homely man with a big heart. They become foster parents to three somewhat permanent kids, as well as a series of "Emergencies" who quickly pass through and leave their home, although never their hearts. It's 1962 when the book opens, and the latest "Emergency" is Agnes, a six-year-old American Indian whose short life has been filled with emotional tragedy and physical abuse. Dahlia and Louie don't want a fourth child, but Agnes squirms her way into their hearts. This is the story of a happy family until one night everything changes and threatens all they love and all they hold dear. Quite simply, I loved this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Bonus: This book is packed with poignant, practical, and pertinent life advice—so much so you'll find yourself highlighting on your Kindle or underlining on paper pages. Aside to Patry Francis: Please write a sequel! (PLEASE!)
Dana GishCathryn
Story from multiple perspectives, really appreciated the children’s. Story ended a bit abruptly though; would have appreciated a bit about Jon, but maybe the frustration was intentional.
TerrisimmDana Gis
Learned so much about the lives of orphaned children. We chose this book for our book club.
