Take Me With You
Take Me with You
Take Me With You
Carolyn Marsden
Hopes of adoption test the friendship of two girls-one biracial-in a lyrical novel touching on themes of identity and the meaning of home.Pina and Susanna. Susanna and Pina. For as long as they’ve lived at the Istituto di Gesù Bambino — a home for babies abandoned after the War — they have been best friends. As children, they played rag dolls under the watchful eyes of the nuns and hide-and-seek among the lemon trees on the rooftop terrazzo overlooking Naples. But now strangers are coming to the chiesa, couples hoping to adopt children. Susanna thinks Pina — pale, pretty Pina with her gleaming yellow braid — will be adopted at once. Susanna, on the other hand, is a mulatta. Her father was an American soldier, a nero. No Italian has hair or skin like hers. But when a surprise visitor comes to the istituto just to see Susanna, will the friends be separated after all? Or will a miracle make both of their dreams come true?

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Historical Fiction

Age Level: 

  • 12 and up
Profile Picture

Susanna and Pina have been best friends, almost like sisters, ever since they have lived in the Instituto di GesuBambino after the war ended. Suddenly, things begin to change. Couples start coming to adopt children. Both Susanna and Pina believe that Pina will be adopted at once, becauses he is very pretty and kind. Susanna doesn't believe she will be adopted, because her father was African-American.She looks different from everybody, and fears this will stop her from being adopted. One day, a visitor for Susanna comes to the instituto.

To add your comments, login above or request a LitPick membership.