Far From The Tree

By Robin Benway

WINNER OF THE U.S. NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 2017 FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S LITERATURE!

'Sometimes, family hurts each other. But after that’s done you bandage each other up, and you move on. Together. So you can go and think that you’re some lone wolf, but you’re not. You’ve got us now, like it or not, and we’ve got you.'

When 16 year-old Grace gives up her baby for adoption, she decides that the time has come to find out more about her own biological mother. Although her biological mum proves elusive, her search leads her to two half-siblings she never knew existed. 
Maya, 15, has been adopted by wealthy parents and seems to have the picture-perfect family – that is, if you look past her alcoholic mother and the fact that Maya stands out like a sore thumb. 
Older brother Joaquin hasn’t been so lucky. At 18, he’s shuffled between foster home after foster home, always careful never to get attached to anyone or anything, because it always gets taken away. 
When these three siblings come together, they find in themselves the place they can belong, while the secrets they guard threaten to explode...

For fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell and Nicola Yoon, Far From the Tree is a raw, compelling, and ultimately uplifting story of what it means to be family. 

'Benway’s unforgettable novel explores the paradoxes and entanglements of unconventional families … It’s a melodrama, to be sure, but with as much brain as heart. Benway writes with remarkable control and has the rare talent of almost vanishing as an author as she inhabits each character’s perspective.' The New York Times
'Family issues are neither airbrushed nor oversimplified... From the first page to the last, this compassionate, funny, moving, compulsively readable novel about what makes a family gets it right.' Kirkus Reviews
'Equally heartwarming and heart-wrenching... Benway delves into the souls of these characters as they wrestle to overcome feelings of inadequacy, abandonment, and betrayal, gradually coming to understand themselves and each other.' Publishers Weekly
'Far from the Tree is the kind of book that strikes close to a reader’s heart. I had to know what happened to Grace, Maya, and Joaquin, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Beautiful.' Ally Condie, author of The Matched Trilogy
'Far From the Tree is a touching story about the strength and love of unconventional families, and the unbreakable bond of siblings near and far. Robin Benway’s characters are authentically crafted, full of heart, hurt, and hope.' Brandy Colbert, author of Pointe and Little & Lion
‘In the eloquent confidence of its life-embracing argument, the book really is something special’ The Wall Street Journal

Praise for Emmy & Oliver:
'Robin Benway writes with her full heart. Emmy & Oliver is a genuinely sweet and funny novel bursting with the inextinguishable forces of love-between parents and children, distant and inseparable friends, new and reunited lovers.' Stephanie Perkins, New York Times bestselling author of Isla and the Happily Ever After
'Emmy & Oliver is wonderful. Funny, heartbreaking, and true. Robin Benway has written characters I felt like I'd known forever, and was so sad to see go. A must-read.' Morgan Matson, author of Since You've Been Gone

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Nov 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9781471164347

Robin Benway

Robin Benway is a National Book Award–winning and New York Times bestselling author of nine novels for young people, including Far from the Tree, Audrey, Wait!, the AKA series, and Emmy & Oliver. Her books have received numerous awards and recognition, including the PEN America Literary Award, the Blue Ribbon Award from the Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, ALA’s Best Books for Young Adults, and ALA’s Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. In addition, her novels have received starred reviews from BookPage, Kirkus Reviews, ALA Booklist, and Publishers Weekly and have been published in more than twenty-five countries. Her sixth novel, Far from the Tree, won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and the PEN America Award and was named one of the best books of the year by the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, NPR, PBS, Entertainment Weekly, and the Boston Globe. In addition to her fictional work, her nonfiction work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Bustle, Elle, and more. Her newest book, The Girls of Skylark Lane, will be in stores in Fall 2024. Robin grew up in Orange County, California, attended NYU, where she was a recipient of the Seth Barkas Prize for Creative Writing, and is a graduate of UCLA. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her dog, Hudson.

Reviews for Far From The Tree

[indygo88 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Grace, Maya, and Joaquin are half siblings. Given up shortly after birth, Grace and Maya were adopted by two separate families, while Joaquin was raised largely in the foster system. When Grace has a baby of her own as a teen and decides to give it up for adoption, it triggers an urge to seek out her biological siblings. But each has their own set of issues which they're hesitant to share.I enjoyed this one. Though portions of the book were maybe somewhat unrealistic, the story did bring a fresh perspective to the subject of adoption, teen pregnancy, and family. Each sibling's character was quite different, but yet the story was fleshed out quite interestingly. It's a somewhat emotionally charged book, but in a good way. Overall, a good discussion book for teens or adults.

[mldavis2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although not my type of book, it was a good read involving young adults dealing with adoption, rejection and the psychological trauma in trying to get things straightened out.

[beth.clarke · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great YA topics that will appeal to teens such as teen pregnancy, parent issues, adopted children, gay teens, etc. All of the storylines wrap up nicely at the end which YA readers generally enjoy.

[ainjel-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I didn't think I was going to like this book much. I'm not big on "teen pregnancy" narratives because I find them boring and cliche and overdone (thanks, probably, to every teen drama TV show ever). I'm not sure why I picked up this book, then put it back, then picked it up again, but I did. And let me tell ya, was that ever a good choice.

Have you ever read a book and not thought yourself very attached to it, then suddenly you're crying at the ending? That was me reading this.

The writing isn't anything special, which actually kind of works in its favour because it lets you sink into the story and the characters. Sometimes I found the dialogue to be stiff, or awkward, or just really, really unrealistic. A couple of times, I thought the characters expressed anger or other strong emotions that came out of nowhere, and I wish there had been a bit more build up to those scenes.

That's the bad stuff. Now onto the good.

All three characters live very different lives, and I like how they were all treated equally, receiving full development arcs a piece. Each story was interesting on its own, and the rapport between the 3 of them was great. I loved watching their relationship with each other and the others in their lives develop, and I thought the way the relationships progress were very realistic and raw. Sometimes I found the plot to be a bit too optimistic (okay, I loved the ending but I'm also like--- why is everything all hunky-dory, BUT at the same time, these kids deserve all the happiness in the world), but it was optimistic in a sweet way, one that warms your heart rather than makes you roll your eyes.

All in all, this book was special. I loved the characters, and I'm glad I had the chance to hear their stories.

[howifeelaboutbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a beautiful story about three siblings who grew up separately, each involved with the foster care and adoption systems in some way before finding each other. The “baggage” that each sibling carries affects how they relate to each other and learn from each other. I passed this book along as soon as I finished it. A story hasn’t made me cry this much in quite some time.

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When Grace gives her baby up for adoption, it sets her on a path to find her biological mom. Grace, Joaquin, and Maya are bio-siblings who find each other after all of them had adopted or put in the foster system. Each of them is working through a large amount of trauma related to not knowing their roots and the angst of growing up. They develop a bond and support system and find themselves on a quest to find their bio-mom. This was an emotional read full of trauma, overcoming hardships, and trying to find hope.

[mjspear_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Three adopted siblings discover each other and learn the true meaning of 'family' is deeper than biology. Grace, an only child, is haunted by perfection and high expectations. Maya stands out as a dark-haired child in a bio family of light-skinned caucasians. Joaquin, half Mexican, has never known a real family and is shunted from foster home to home. The dialogue and pacing are superb and it is sure to speak to teens in all kinds of family settings. On the down side, each sib has a slew of problems which are After-School-Special-ish in terms of scope. More troubling, each seems remarkably articulate and self aware (older than their years). A minor quibble for a good book.

[simplykelina · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was a little worried when I picked this up, as I am pretty critical about books that involve children in foster care since I work within that field. I liked that this showed the emotional impact both foster care and adoption can take on an individual and a sibling group. So much of the story is what I see today in our youth within the system including their fear of letting go and letting someone into their lives.This was much better than I thought it was going to be and I highly recommend it!

[bdartnall_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Three teens voices struggling w/ adoption, foster care , even a baby , shifting between them smoothly& bringing them together as long lost siblings who share the same mother: shall they seek her out ? Should they tell their adopted parents what they’re up to ? And how to embrace their newly found siblings and still remain true to their adopted siblings? Each one also deals with romance, budding or broken -one a lesbian relationship, handled matter of factly. Well written; definitely dialogue heavy - for teen readers who are eager to read about these issues

[startwithgivens · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I listened to the audiobook and side from being extremely aware of overused phrases I loved it. the description cited "for fans of This is Us" and the similarites are in fact too strong to ignore. However, this book is unique enough from the show that there's no way to predict how the characters' lives will be.

I will admit to having some problems with the book, such as the lack of a noticeable age difference between the biological siblings. They're teenagers and 6 months and a different grade makes a difference, so it felt unrelastic that this was absent.

I would definitely recommend this book to a friend without concern for what they like to read, or what their lives are like. I think this book, even though it is young adult, has something for everybody.

[gentlespirit512 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My goodness! When I saw that this was a young adult novel, I knew that it would approach all kinds of issues with a punch you generally don't find in adult novels. I was completely unprepared for the number of issues that Robin addressed telling the stories of these three siblings who have just found each other. It was an intelligent novel, and the emotional impact it has is not to be ignored. If you read this novel, prepare to be blindsided by emotions you don't expect. You might even find yourself changed after you finish the last page.

[edgoldberg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Three half siblings learn about each other and the mother that connects them together. Robin Benway wrote a teary journey of three teens who learn what family is all about: Grace, who got pregnant and chose to give her baby to another family, Maya who is a dark haired daughter in a red haired family and Joaquin who wasn't lucky enough to be adopted and went through the foster care system.Each sibling struggles with their own issues but realize that it's family that holds them together, both biological and adopted. Far From the Tree is a totally enjoyable read and is a National Book Award winner.

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really loved the characters in this book - I just wanted to wrap them up in hugs. Grace is the catalyst for a journey of discovery. After giving her child up for adoption, Grace wants to find her own birth mother. Along the way she discovers two siblings - Maya who was also adopted and Joaquin who has lived in the foster care system. Each of them is grappling with their own emotional hurts but the way they come together as siblings and the healing that they discover with each other is really beautiful. Every adoption story is different, but I enjoyed the hopeful tone of this one.

[clphotography · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A must read for everyone!! I absolutely loved this story of family. love and loss.

[mamzel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Three teens - Joaquin (in foster care), Grace (adopted, just gave a baby up for adoption), and Maya (adopted) all share a mother who could not support them. They find each other and form their own little family where they can share their deepest fears and hopes. Even though they have the same biological mother, they are very different, a product of their upbringing. This story really brings out the unique issues that kids who are adopted or in the system have. I really grew to like these three kids and think that teens will appreciate their story big time.

[cathishaw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a fantastic book. Robin Benway really has created a treasure with this story.The book moves between Grace, Maya, and Joaquin's points of view. Three siblings who have only just met and who have very different stories. This a book about heartbreak and love. It's about discovery and fear. And most of all, it's about the true meaning of family.A must read. So far, my top pick in 2018!

[lilibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At 16, Grace, who was adopted at birth, has a baby of her own and puts her up for adoption. Now curious about her birth family, she discovers that she has 2 siblings. Maya, her younger sister, was also adopted at birth. Joaquin, her older brother, has spent his life in the foster care system. Now Grace wants to look for their biological mother.

[jmoncton_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a heart-wrenching, but uplifting portrayal of the difficulties of adoption and the complexities of what defines family. Loved this book!

[shellypya · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Robin Benway's beautiful interweaving story of three very different teenagers connected by blood explores the meaning of family in all its forms--how to find it, how to keep it, and how to love it. Being the middle child has its ups and downs. But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including-- Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. Having grown up the snarky brunette in a house full of chipper redheads, she's quick to search for traces of herself among these not-quite-strangers. And when her adopted family's long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can't help but wonder where exactly it is that she belongs. And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother. After seventeen years in the foster care system, he's learned that there are no heroes, and secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can't hurt anyone but him.

[christianr_899499 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good book about three teens from different families who turn out to be siblings -- two were adopted and one went through foster care. Grace's secret is that she just gave up a child for adoption herself; Maya's secret is that her mother drinks and her parents argue endlessly; and Joaquin's secret is that he had been institutionalized after a violent meltdown, making him feel worthless. When they meet they begin the process of supporting each other and healing. I picked it up because it has been getting a lot of attention. It grabbed me instantly, but as it went on it became a little more predictable -- still good, but not as amazing as the beginning.

[foggidawn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The fact that she was adopted has never been a huge deal in 16-year-old Grace's life... until she becomes pregnant and ends up giving up her baby for adoption. As she searches for her birth mother, she learns that she has biological siblings: younger sister Maya, who was also adopted, and older brother Joaquin, who has spent his life in the foster care system. The three start to forge a friendship, but each is keeping secrets from the others. When the truth starts coming out, they begin to explore what it means to be a family.I enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to fans of realistic teen fiction.

[olegalca · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A real tear-jerker.

[elenaj-147457 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. One quibble: the character development for two of the romantic interests (Birdie and Claire) was pretty flat. I never got a good sense of who either of them is. But that was a small thing, since the main characters are all very well drawn and vibrant.

[thereserose5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Usually books that have multiple narrators are frustrating because there is always one that I don't particularly like and want to skip over. I actually genuinely liked all three main characters and was actively rooting for them. There was some necessary suspension of disbelief, but the story was still extremely compelling. This was a young adult novel that was exciting, funny, and still very heartbreaking at times.

[reader1009-863136 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

teen realistic fiction (adopted teens with half-brother in foster care; fear of abandonment)
Joaquin is half-Latinx; Grace gave her own baby up for adoption; Maya's adopted mom is an alcoholic and her parents get a divorce.

[Amanda Garrett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a fabulously wholesome book, the family relationships are written so beautifully and realistic that at times it felt very real. The characters themselves are written so well, they all have wonderfully full and individual personalities which is only one of the many great things about this book. Will leave you with such an appreciation for your own family, biological or otherwise and a smile on your face.