Hollow Chest

"Sandstrom tells a story that is equally tender and terrifying, balancing a family's emotional gravity with the chilling war wolves. With moody occasional illustrations by Shin, a relaxed pace, and tender prose, this historical fantasy expertly employs anxiety and empathy to demonstrate war's devastating effect on individuals and families." - Publishers Weekly

"Hollow Chest is remarkable on so many levels-its exquisite writing, its startling originality, its deep empathy. But what lingers most is its unwavering heartbeat: in the darkest of times, what will carry us through is love." - Anne Ursu, award-winning author of The Lost Girl

"Brita Sandstrom's debut is the rare sort of book that gives new language to old truths. Tender, sweet, painful, and brave, Hollow Chest is full of astonishing love." - Elana K. Arnold, award-winning author of The House That Wasn't There

"I read this book breathlessly, ardently, my heart thumping in my chest. Brita Sandstrom has woven a story stitched through with hope and terror and longing. At its center is the utter audacity of love - how we hang on even when we are broken, and how we must never let go. A lovely, moving debut." - Kelly Barnhill, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Girl Who Drank the Moon

"The book effectively evokes post-war England and the way that war doesn't end for everyone, and the wolves are a potent metaphor to introduce younger audiences to the realities of PTSD." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The literal and figurative rubble of combat provides a rich setting through which to examine the fragility and incredible resilience of the human heart. It's both a wrenching and wondrous world." - Booklist (starred review)