SuitabookA Sister Like You
Sarah Hagger-Holt
- Reading
- Check in before reading if adoption, bullying, family illness or homophobia may feel personal. Pause after major revelations, and discuss whether the ending’s apparently neat resolutions feel convincing or leave questions unanswered.
- Themes
- Adoption and sisterhood: Ella and Ari discover that, despite being adopted into different families, they are biological sisters. The discovery is treated as emotionally disruptive and significant, while the girls respond differently; the book appears interested in negotiation rather than instant closeness.
- Family diversity and acceptance: Ari lives with two dads, while Ella lives with her mother and grandmother; the story also includes a character coming out. The family forms are presented as part of the characters’ ordinary lives, with the story describing acceptance and learning to let go of preconceptions.
- Belonging through school and choir: Both girls feel alone when starting secondary school, then meet through choir and find it a supportive shared space. The choir is portrayed as a constructive route into friendship and belonging, although the girls’ difficulties are not erased immediately.
- Worth knowing
- The story includes bullying linked to adoption, casual homophobia, panic attacks, impulsivity, a broken leg, school refusal and an older relative’s sudden illness, including references to Parkinson’s and strokes.