In the vein of When You Trap a Tiger and Shouting at the Rain, this is the story of the journey one girl undertakes to find herself.

After Breda Moriarity gets caught stealing one too many times, Breda's mom sends her to Ireland, a place she has never been, to live with the grandfather she has never met.

While Breda doesn’t want to be in this strange land, she finally gets to meet Granda, her mom’s father. He’s a grumpy farmer who is also a seanchaí, a traditional Gaelic storyteller. But the most important story is the one nobody will talk about: what happened to her absent father. If nothing else this summer, Breda is determined to figure out the truth about her family’s history—and herself.

This powerfully poignant middle grade novel, the first from award-winning author Jessie Ann Foley, asks questions about estranged relationships, immigration, and family secrets.

Jessie Ann Foley is the Printz Honor–winning author of the YA novels The Carnival at Bray, Neighborhood Girls, Sorry for Your Loss, and You Know I’m No Good. Her middle grade debut is Breda's Island. Her work has been named to best-of lists by Kirkus Reviews, ALA Booklist, YALSA, Entertainment Weekly, and many other outlets and has been featured on school and library recommended reading lists all across the United States. Jessie lives with her family in Chicago, where she was born and raised. You can visit her online at jessieannfoley.com.

“Readers will empathize with Breda and wish her well. Immensely touching.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Atmospheric. Stands out for its distinctly Irish language and poetic landscape descriptions” — Publishers Weekly

"An emotionally charged conflict that often simmers beneath the surface of the page, made possible by the authentic and fully realized characters." — Horn Book Magazine

“There’s more than a touch of the seanchaí in Foley’s own silky prose.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Transports and immerses readers. Breda’s touching journey through her family’s secrets evokes empathy and the need for healing.” — ALA Booklist