One True Friend - (163rd Street Trilogy) by Joyce Hansen (Paperback)

About the Book

Amir shares his feelings and concerns in letters with his friend, Doris, who lives in his old Bronx neighborhood. While Amir has been reunited with his youngest brother, he wants to find his other siblings he was separated from when his parents died.

Book Synopsis

Amir has finally landed in a good place. His new foster parents, the Smiths, are loving and kind, and he has been reunited with his youngest brother, whom the Smiths have raised since babyhood. Amir knows he should be happy, but he is uncomfortable around the Smiths, and his little brother doesn't even remember him. If only Amir could find the rest of the siblings he was separated from when his parents died, perhaps he would feel more at ease.

Luckily, he has someone he can open his heart to--his friend Doris, who lives in his old Bronx neighborhood. The two of them share all their feelings and concerns in frequent letters. But when Doris writes Amir that a friend has been experimenting with drugs, unpleasant memories rise to the surface of his mind.

In this long-awaited companion to The Gift-Giver and Yellow Bird and Me, Amir not only must find a way to come to terms with his family's past, but he must also determine where his true home is.

Review Quotes

[A] good-hearted and honest treatment of kids' feelings as they cope with their own separate challenges.
Kirkus Reviews

[T]he focus and strength of the book is in its quiet and gentle story that explores the nature of friendship and family. The story is well crafted, and the characters are skillfully and sympathetically drawn.
VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)

This is a warm and gently treatment of a kid's struggle to find a family.
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Hansen has written a touching story of a young boy's struggle with a painful past and a scary future. . . . Both sad and hopeful, this story dramatizes the struggle for survival, the primal pull of family, and the gift of "one true friend." Booklist, ALA --