A Secret Shared

A Secret Shared
Patricia MacLachlan
HarperCollins, September, 2021
160 pages
Grades 3-6
Realistic Fiction

When mom takes a DNA swab test, Nora's little sister Birdie swabs as well. Imagine Nora and twin Ben's surprise as the results come back that Birdie is of different parentage. Are their loving parents keeping a secret? Nora and Ben have nowhere to go with this information. They have Birdie swab again, asking her to keep it a secret, in order to double check the results. Meanwhile, Birdie has a secret all her own that once revealed, no one can resist. Further sleuthing divulges more information. Should they confront Mom and Dad with what they have found?

Patricia MacLachlan is an amazing author. Her stories are poetic and carefully written, with quirky characters and lots of love. This new book explores the consequences of family secrets and what it means to be a family. Mom is a poet and her work is infused within the beautiful narration, making it a thoughtful child's dream book. Many kids will become impatient with this quiet book, though and may not relate to the old-fashioned feel to the family and setting. I thought that the book was set in the past. Mom uses a typewriter to write, Dad carries a handkerchief, the whole town reads the physical newspaper and no one watches TV or has a cellphone. Yet, Mom turns on her computer at the end, proving that it must be somewhat modern days. The characters are a bit too good to be true and Birdie is a bit too precious, yet I loved the mystical fairytale nature of the narrative and fell right in. The story is short and reads quickly, making it feel like it is intended for for a younger audience than the subject matter suggests. This book is almost like a children's book meant for adults and I personally loved it, but could not think of a child to recommend it too. Many American children are being raised by someone other than their birth parents and will find reassurance in this tale that demonstrates that it is love that makes a family, not blood, and secrets are best revealed and put out in the open, even if we are afraid to share the truth.