All the Children Are Home audiobook

This is one of the most affecting books I’ve read in a long while, striking every emotional chord. There are tragic circumstances in the lives of the characters that broke my heart . Unbearable things happened to them that made me angry and sad. I don’t remember how many times I cried. It was impossible not to feel that way for the foster children at the center of this story. Yet, it was impossible not to feel heartened, in spite of it all because everything became a little more bearable by the genuine love in this family. The saddest thing is that while this is fiction, I suspect that this is a story that represents circumstances that could be real . The narrative alternates between three of the children and their foster mother Dahlia. They talk about themselves, their lives before coming to the Moscatellis and each other . I came to know each of them as their present and past stories collide in an intimate and introspective way growing up in this Massachusetts town in the 1950’s and 1960’s.I couldn’t decide who was my favorite character. At first I thought it might be six year old Agnes, a part Native American little girl, who comes to the family as an emergency case after a horrific experience at a foster home and with more sorrow than you can imagine in her young life. I thought it might be Jimmy, the oldest boy, abandoned by his alcoholic parents. He was the first to tell Agnes he loved her and we discover just how far he will go to protect her setting the stage for more heartache. I thought it might be Zaidie, who’s father abandons the family before her mother dies. She takes Agnes under her wing and is truly a big sister, making a sacrifice that will break your heart. I thought it might be Dahlia, who they call Ma, who herself is in so much pain and in need of healing after a horrific event in her life that has stolen her desire to leave her home for 29 years. I thought it might be Louie, the Dad, a hulk of a man, sometimes quiet and gruff, with a big heart, who goes to work day after day at the garage to fix cars. Truth of the matter is I loved them all. This is a love story of beautiful relationships which reflect what these kids meant to each other, how they cared for each other and how these ordinary people with burdens in their past have hearts full of love. It’s about how they manage to heal each other as best they can. It’s about unconditional love which provides hope, even in the most difficult of circumstances. It’s beautifully written and is one of the best books I’ve read this year.I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins through Edelweiss.

4+ stars!A slow-moving, quiet, but oh-so-powerful story.This book won’t be for everyone as it’s a very gradual build that quietly speaks to the reader. It takes time and patience but the pay off is well worth it. It is a character driven novel that will sneak up on you and capture your heart. The characters are phenomenal, remarkable, complicated and truly unforgettable! Never have I EVER read a book where I simply cannot choose a favourite character (or two). And this book included a large cast of main characters - Ma, Pa, Nonna, Jimmy, Agnes, Zaida, Jon just to name a few. I honestly loved them ALL equally, but for very different reasons. There were so many layers to these deeply developed characters, their bonds with one another and the story itself that they haven’t left my mind since finishing the book a couple days ago.This story is centred around a foster family working hard to make ends meet. This book taught me many things. I felt for these characters and their personal situations - each and every one of them affected differently by the vulnerable foster children that come and leave the home. My heart broke repeatedly but was also filled with hope and affection for the love and loyalty that grew within the walls of this foster home. The writing is excellent. Powerful in its subtle and quiet manner. The words within these pages are heartwarming and heartbreaking. This book requires the reader to take their time to slowly savour the writing, the powerful story and the beautiful relationships.Thank you to Harper Collins and Edelweiss for the review copy!

Broken children coming from broken families into a broken couple to somehow form a functional family. And it is here where they manage to piece themselves to form a solid, firm and loved place.The tragedies they went through from neglect and abuse. Being given to child services placed in homes who really didn’t want them.Each has their own story to tell. Including the foster mom who had her own share of events that broke her.Taken from each perspective, what it meant to be in a family with siblings like themselves.With Agnes, the 6 year old native, who had a brutal upbringing but still able to open up her little heart and love the most and mend the most.But even when they mould themselves to form a family, the past still haunts each of them and brings back the memories. This is a story that will break your heart then put it back in your chest a little swollen.It’s about reclaiming who you are by not being defined by what happened in the past. It’s the bravery that develops and the support some are fortunate to find; and the fierce protectiveness the siblings develop for each other. It’s the bonds of family love that embrace and overcome the challenges they each face in a “migration of souls”.Francis takes this story to a whole different level with the most memorable characters and family, story lines and development.This makes it to my 5⭐️ Shelf. Amen

ALL THE CHILDREN ARE HOME is more personal and important to me than anything I've ever written. Though the Moscatellis are entirely fictional, the story of a small child, separated not only from her birth family but all knowledge of herself and her cultural identity is one that is particularly close to my heart. All too often we hear about the tragedies that occur when the foster care system fails. Those abuses impact my characters as well, but more than that, I wanted to shine a light on the challenges and successes of "good" foster parents—those who welcome our most wounded children into their homes and raise them as their own—and on the resilience and plain courage such children need simply to survive. As part of my research, I interviewed a former supervisor from the Department of Children and Families. She told me about "Margaret," a retired foster mother who had taken in nineteen children over the years. In the early days of the AIDS epidemic when there was little knowledge and much fear surrounding the virus, the department was having trouble finding a home for a newborn who had tested positive. Margaret was older by then, but as soon as she heard about the abandoned baby, she went to the hospital and took her home where she cared for her for the rest of the girl's life. In Dahlia Moscatelli, I wanted to create a hero like that—ordinary and all too human—but one for whom love, particularly the love for children, always outweighs fear.

All the Children Are Home is a heartbreaking and heartwarming story about family. Dahlia and Louie are happy with their three foster children when they temporarily bring Agnes into their home. This story shows that family is more than blood. All of the characters are put in difficult situations, and it is interesting to see how they react and how it affects their lives. I felt so bad for all the characters at some point. I enjoyed seeing Agnes become part of the family. The viewpoints of the different family members allows the reader to understand what all of the characters went through. All the Children Are Home is a story of family, love and protecting others. I recommend All the Children Are Home to fans of character driven stories about family.I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kimberly Woods, Nora Hunter, Mia Barron and Patrick Zeller. They all did a great job and I really felt like the characters were telling their stories. I enjoyed having a large cast of narrators with a different narrator for each character.Thank you Harper Perennial for the ARC and Harper Audio for the ALC.Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...

Happy Independence Day! 3.5 rating -- I appreciated this book -- liked many aspects of it -- but at some point --my interest waned. The POV-styling-storytelling became a little tedious to me -- even a little repetitive... yet I still 'liked' it. I know foster children. I'm friends with two wonderful gay men --who adopted two boys after being their foster parents. I remember many of the beginning horrors with the kids unfit mother-- when the mother wanted them back -- (my friends were feeling so much loss and were afraid for the boys) -- Eventually -- short story > my friends 'are' now the boys parents. The kids couldn't have better parents! LIKE --OMG --amazing parents!!!! They boys are thriving. Getting their holiday photo gift card- and family-year-adventures every Christmas- is always my favorite card of the year. So....I couldn't help but think of my friends when reading this novel. I do think there was much authenticity in the storyline. But the narrative just wasn't always that interesting --and Dahlia had a back story that came so late in the book, I felt I lost that opportunity to have felt deeper emotions with and for her, (the reveal earlier would have helped) Taking place in the 1950's and 1960's...[small town in Massachusetts]....Dahlia Moscatelli --foster mother --had once suffered devastating trauma --so she told the social services she didn't want to take any 'girls' - she 'knew' the troubles ahead for young girls-- so she only wanted boys. But when Dahlia meets six year old Agnes -- an indigenous child, (it didn't take long to know that this sweet shy child had been severely abused), and Dahlia just couldn't say no! Louie, Dahlai's husband, was a stern man, but not a horrible guy. He didn't want any more "emergency kids"....but....even Louie couldn't say no. Agnes could break and steal your heart all at the same time. Zaide, another foster child takes Agnes under her wings - teaches her -helps her -comforts her. Jimmy, a teenager, and Joe, a toddler, are two other foster kids --Everyone was struggling with something from their past -- This resilient family pulls together. Its their love and empathy for each other that 'is' truly moving.

5+ stars! Boy, did I get attached to these characters. I am not ready to say goodbye to them. 😢

Emotional and Extremely Powerful!One of the best books I’ve read so far this year.Agnes needs emergency foster care, at six years old she has experienced and seen abominable things and yet, she has hope. Dahlia and her husband Louie are foster parents to Jimmy, Zaidie, and Jon, when Agnes, who is Native American, comes to stay with them, she changes their lives irrevocably. A novel that brought tears to my eyes time and time again, this is the story of survival, trials, and tribulations, and what it truly means to be a family. While reading this novel, I thought to myself, if only all books were this good! Huge thanks to Angela for her stellar review and recommendation!Thanks to my local library for loaning me a copy of the book.

“All the Children Are Home”, by Patry Francis, is immediately engaging! It’s the story of the Moscatelli family. Dahlia and Louie are foster parents to Jimmy, Zaidie, and Jon. Into the mix arrives “temporary” and “emergency”, Agnes, a six year old indigenous child, who immediately captivates us all.The story is set in the 1950s and 60s and you will absolutely CRINGE with some of the language used, and some of the ways that the children are treated. But it is very true to the era! Remember, this is the era when kids played “Cowboys and Indians”!Structured in sections with the alternating points of view of foster mother, Dahlia, oldest daughter Zaidie, and Agnes. The characters are beautifully drawn, the narrative is intriguing, and the plot is propulsive, thus I found it very difficult to put this novel down. There were so many questions/mysteries that I wanted to understand. What happened to Dahlia that caused her to become agoraphobic? Why did she decide to become a foster mother? What will happen to these children?The novel shows that “family” is so much more than shared genetics; I fell in love with the Moscatellis, and I recommend this wonderful novel to every reader who loves stories about families full of both heartbreak and joy. It’s been compared to “Ask Again, Yes” by Mary Beth Keane, but I must also compare it to Mary Lawson’s wonderful family novels. I hated to part with the Moscatellis!

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!)

The story takes place in a Massachusetts town in the late 1950s. Dahlia and her husband Louie are foster parents to Jimmy, Zaidie, and Jon. But their lives change when a social worker begs them to take care of Agnes, a six-year-old indigenous child who was a temporary and emergency case. I found Agnes’s character exceptionally captivating.Agnes had no knowledge of her heritage; she only has a box that contains items from her past. Their story was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I learned a lot through the lines of this story.I would like to share one of the most impressive quotes from this book:"You don’t do anything by yourself in this world, and if it’s worth anything, it’s not just for yourself, either. You’re either lifting up the people around you, or you’re pulling them down, whether you know it or not." It is a beautifully written family drama with charming characters. The storyline is intriguing, and the details are very well describing.Many thanks to @harperperennial for the #gifted copy. I really enjoyed this book.