A guy whose father ripped his heart out too.

You and me, Ishmael, we're brothers, two dark sons.

Destroyed, lost, and isolated, the perspectives of two teenage boys-modern-day Sam, and biblical Ishmael-unite over millennia to illustrate the power of forgiveness.

"Grimes's commanding metaphors ("Look at you, mother,/ trembling,/ a bowshot away,/ your tears/ the only water/ for miles," says the exiled Ishmael), authoritative style, and complex characterizations are uniquely compelling." -Publisher's Weekly starred review

"The simple words eloquently reveal what it's like to miss someone ... but even more moving is the struggle to forgive and the affection each boy feels for the baby that displaces him. The elemental connections and the hope ... will speak to a wide audience." -Booklist starred review

There are 208 pages in this book. This book was published 2017 by HarperCollins Focus .

Nikki Grimes (nikkigrimes. com) received the Coretta Scott King Award for Bronx Masquerade , and has also received five Coretta Scott King Honors. She has written more than fifty books, including The Road to Paris , Jazmin's Notebook , the Dyamonde Daniel series, and the New York Times bestseller Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope . She lives in Corona, California.