Store-Bought Baby — Sandra Belton

“Belton does an admirable job of letting Leah describe her despair and the alienation she feels from her parents, especially her mother, whose own grief makes her seem insensitive to Leah… Readers who have experienced the complex range of emotions brought on by a tragedy of this nature will appreciate Belton's sensitive depiction of loss.” Kirkus Reviews “When sophomore Leah's beloved older brother, Luce, who was adopted, dies in a car accident, she tries to cope with her overwhelming grief. Did Luce ever want to find his birth parents? Should she look for them? Her best friend and her boyfriend help her carry on, and Dad and her grandma are there for her. Mama, however, is distant... Leah's first-person, present-tense narrative expresses her intense feelings in plain poetic words that express the happy adoptive family story as well as the sorrow, jealous, anger, and love… although there's no neat resolution, and as the book's title makes clear, some people are insensitive and crude when it comes to talking about adoption, Belton's powerful novel opens up the meaning of “real” family.” Booklist “Leah, tenth-grade Chicagoan, and her parents are devastated following the accidental death of Luce, Leah's adopted older brother. Luce had been a particularly gifted and well-liked young man �" the light his name indicates. Leah decides to seek Luce's birth family; unexpectedly, her search helps her come to a better understanding of the special relationship Luce and her own parents shared �" so special that Leah questions whether her mother loves her as much as she obviously loved Luce. While she is engaged in finding Luce's family, she begins a relationship with Aaron, a gentle, understanding boy who contributes to her healing. Leah's voice is consistent throughout, and her misery and confusion are palpable… Cultural cues and passing descriptions suggest to the reader that Leah and her family are African American; however, the ethnicity of the characters is not a factor in this story where the pain of loss and the healing power of truth and love are the primary themes.” Horn Book Review