The Importance of Family

For most children, family relationships are the first bonds formed, and the bonds remain the strongest throughout most of their lives. Children who are apart from parents and siblings struggle with those relationships, especially when they have no control over where they will live or how they will maintain whatever relationships remain. Lonnie Motion has strong memories of living with his parents and younger sister, Lili, until the day the fire destroyed their home and killed his parents. Lonnie now clings to the only biological connection he has – the relationship with his little sister – while opening himself up to the possibility of new relationships based on love rather than blood.

Lonnie and Lili are living in separate homes by the time Lonnie is writing the poems for this novel. They have extremely limited contact, and their time together seems to be closely monitored...