Common Sense Media Review
By Jasmine Baten
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Teen sisters battle blizzard, grief in moving verse novel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In Sisters Alone, Rama and Leena are reeling from their mom's sudden death. They're coping the best they can, which really isn't all that great. They both feel so alone, with one sister convinced that their mother's death is her fault and the other full of explosive anger, as well as resenting her new role as the main caretaker of the family. A dangerous blizzard forces them together as they fight to survive the cold. They know they love one another, but is it enough to get them through this storm?
Is It Any Good?
This moving and unique novel unfolds in dual-perspective verse full of love, sisterhood, and grief. Sisters Alone is a meaningful, gripping view into what it's like to deal with tragedy and overwhelming emotions to the point that you can feel alone, even when the people who love you most are right next to you. Shifa Saltagi Safadi's story will resonate with young readers who can almost universally relate to big, heavy feelings like the sisters experience. From the author's note about children's mental health resources to the sisters' finding new ways to cope, this is a verse novel that "gets" kids. This empathetic look at how people can go through the same thing and have totally different experiences is delivered in a dramatic survival story that's exciting to read.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the novel-in-verse format of Sisters Alone. How does reading verse affect how you feel as you read? How is poetry different from a regular novel? How does having both sisters' perspectives change how you think about what's happening in the story?
Rama talks about "the monster" inside her that makes her lash out at people she cares about. She later talks to her father, who helps her understand that the feelings are not her fault. Have you ever talked with an adult about something hard you were dealing with? Did communicating about it help? Why, or why not?
What does the father get right about parenting his daughters after their mother's death? What does he get wrong? How does he begin to right his mistakes? What steps can parents take to be more supportive of their kids during times of great stress?
What do Rama's thoughts about herself tell you about negative self-talk? How do you talk to yourself? Would you like to change your self-talk? Why, or why not?
Rama and Leena both lost their mother, but they grieve very differently. Is there a right or wrong way to process grief? Explain why.
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Poetry
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Adventures
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : September 8, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 331
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 21, 2026
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