{"product_id":"my-name-is-leon-paperback","title":"My Name Is Leon - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eKit De Waal\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Taut, emotionally intense, and wholly believable, this beautiful and uplifting debut\" (\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e) about a young black boy's quest to reunite with his beloved white half-brother after they are separated in foster care is a sparkling novel perfect for fans of \u003ci\u003eThe Language of Flowers\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLeon loves chocolate bars, Saturday morning cartoons, and his beautiful, golden-haired baby brother. When Jake is born, Leon pokes his head in the crib and says, \"I'm your brother. Big brother. My. Name. Is. Leon. I am eight and three quarters. I am a boy.\" Jake will play with no one but Leon, and Leon is determined to save him from any pain and earn that sparkling baby laugh every chance he can. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut Leon isn't in control of this world where adults say one thing and mean another. When their mother falls victim to her inner demons, strangers suddenly take Jake away; after all, a white baby is easy to adopt, while a half-black, nine-year-old faces a less certain fate. Vowing to get Jake back by any means necessary, Leon's own journey will carry him through the lives of a doting but ailing foster mother, Maureen; Maureen's cranky and hilarious sister, Sylvia; a social worker Leon knows only as \"The Zebra\"; and a colorful community of local gardeners and West Indian political activists. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eTold through the perspective of young Leon, too innocent to entirely understand what has happened to him and baby Jake, but determined to do what he can to make things right. In the end, this is an uplifting story about the power of love, the unbreakable bond between brothers, and the truth about what ultimately makes a family.\u003ci\u003e My Name Is Leon\u003c\/i\u003e will capture your imagination and steal your heart with its \"moving exploration of race and the foster-care system that offers precious insight into the mind of a child forced to grow up well before his time\" (\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e).\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eKit de Waal is an award-winning short story writer. She was born in Birmingham, UK, to an Irish mother and Kittian father. She worked for fifteen years in criminal and family law and writes about the urban underbelly, forgotten and overlooked places where the best stories are found. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes University and is a founder member of Leather Lane Writers and Oxford Narrative Group. \u003ci\u003eMy Name Is Leon\u003c\/i\u003e is her first book.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 320\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.9 x 8.3 x 5.4 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 25, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42716642410559,"sku":"9781501117466","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0105\/8226\/1823\/files\/cdfcc5344e61b140622bad13dbaf322a.webp?v=1765075653","url":"https:\/\/dhlswag.com\/products\/my-name-is-leon-paperback","provider":"BBB","version":"1.0","type":"link"}