Forever, or a Long, Long Time: A Moving Middle Grade Novel About Adoption, Trust, and Love That Multiplies for Children (Ages 8-12)

3 starred reviews • A Kirkus Best Book of 2017 • A New York Public Library Top Ten Books for Kids pick • An ALA Notable Book • 2018 NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor Book

From rising star Caela Carter, author of My Life with the Liars and How to Be a Girl in the World, comes a captivating and heartfelt story about siblings who learn that love can never be divided, only multiplied. 

Flora and her brother, Julian, don’t believe they were born. They’ve lived in so many foster homes, they can’t remember where they came from. And even now that they’ve been adopted, Flora still struggles to believe that they’ve found their forever home. Though Flora is trying her best to trust two new people, when she finds out that there will be a new baby, she’s worried that there won’t be enough love for everyone.

So along with their new mother, Flora and Julian begin a journey to go back and discover their past—for only then can they really begin to build their future.

Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me, Kathryn Erskine’s Mockingbird, and Ali Benjamin’s The Thing About Jellyfish, this powerful novel about love and family will inspire and delight readers of all ages.

What happens when the only way to build a future is to face a past you can’t remember?

• Foster Care Fiction: Flora and Julian have lived in so many homes they don’t believe they were ever born, creating their own magical theories about where they really came from.
• Sibling Bonds: As “Onlys,” Flora and Julian have always been a team. But when a new baby threatens to change everything, they’ll have to rely on each other more than ever.
• Finding Your Family: A powerful story about what it means to find your forever home, and learning that love isn’t something that can be divided—it can only be multiplied.
• Emotional Middle Grade Story: Join Flora and Julian on the road trip to uncover their own history, facing painful truths and discovering who they really are.

Caela Carter is a writer and an educator. She is a graduate of the New School’s MFA program in writing for children. She has written three books for middle grade readers: One Speck of Truth, My Life with the Liars, and Forever, or a Long, Long Time, which received three starred reviews, among other accolades. Caela lives in Brooklyn with her family. You can visit her online at www.caelacarter.com.