Me & Emma
by Elizabeth Flock

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By turns poignant, disarming and bittersweet, Me & Emma is the unforgettable story of an endearingly precocious child and her determination to put the pieces of her fractured life back together.

In many ways, Carrie Parker is like any other eight-year-old—playing make-believe, dreading school, dreaming of faraway places. But even her imagination can't shut out the realities of her impoverished North Carolina home or help her protect her younger sister, Emma.

As the big sister, Carrie is determined to do anything to keep Emma safe from a life of neglect and abuse at the hands of their drunken stepfather, Richard—abuse their momma can't seem to see, let alone stop.

But after the sisters' plan to run away from home unravels, their world takes a shocking turn—and one shattering moment ultimately reveals a truth that leaves everyone reeling.

Reviews:
"Deftly capturing the hidden thoughts of an emotionally bereft child, Flock's haunting second novel, reminiscent of Kaye Gibbons' Ellen Foster, is not soon forgotten." -- Booklist

"Flock captures Carrie's powerlessness and resourcefulness beautifully...tremendously touching." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Me & Emma is a triumph...A remarkable story told with vigor and truth and stunning revelations that remain with you long after you've closed the cover."
-- Kathleen DeMarco, bestselling author of Cranberry Queen

"Flock's deceptively simple prose belies not only a seriousness in subject matter but also clever subtleties in the plot...Suffice it to say, you won't soon forget Carrie Parker and her little sister, Emma."
-- Bookreporter

"Beautifully written, this is a must read."
-- Closer

"[Elizabeth Flock is] a new voice to reckon with."
-- The Bookseller (U.K.)

"A deeply moving, tragic story...This is an amazing title...keeps you more than hooked. We urge you to read it–you won't be disappointed!"
-- OK! Magazine

"Everything crescendos in a way that (like all good thrillers) immediately makes you want to go back and read the whole book again from the start."
-- Amazon.com

"So well-written that the reader is continually captivated by the story...Ms. Flock skillfully unfolds a story of significance...a powerful and enlightening read."
-- Romance Reviews Today

"Me & Emma is really two stories in one: the page-turning events and how the reader reacts emotionally as he or she colors in the picture. I personally questioned how such young children could manage to survive this string of horrors unscathed. It is a tribute to Flock's literary talent that she answers that silent question with her unexpected ending and without compromising the book's complexity or tenor."
-- Pages

ISBN-13: 9780778327332 | Published by Mira Books | Publication Date: 2009-01-01
Mass Market Paperback | 336 pages | US $7.99