July 2026
There are books that steal a part of your heart. LITTLE WONDER by Sophie Chen Keller is one of them. In it, Song gives birth to a boy who she names River. Because of the availability of work, she is apart from her husband, Blue, who has headed hours away where he can find a job in construction. They eagerly plan to see one another each year at the Spring Festival and mark the time until they will be together again. But they continue to be separated. Sadly, Song gets a cryptic call one day that Blue has been killed in a construction accident, and a settlement will be made.
When this money arrives, Song buys a piano that her son, who clearly has an interest in music, can play. For years, River is trained locally, but Song realizes that his talent needs a bigger stage. So they head to Beijing where he has a chance to practice and perform. But in the very crowded Beijing Railway Station, Song and River are separated, and panic ensues. Song has all of their possessions on her back, except for the piano they needed to leave behind. Their search to find each other is futile.
Read more »
