Rosa, Sola [Hardcover]

Carmela A. Martino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 9, 2005 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Both heart-rending and full of hope, this rich, sympathetic portrayal of an only child coping with loss takes readers back to an earlier generation.

Living with her Italian immigrant parents in 1960s Chicago, nine-year-old Rosa, an only child, often feels SOLA and different. But as soon as she holds her friend AnnaMaria's baby brother for the first time, Rosa is sure that if she prays hard enough, God will give her a sibling too. Amazingly, Ma does get pregnant, and Rosa is overjoyed — until the awful day comes when she learns that her brother was stillborn, and Ma, who is weak and grieving, must stay in the hospital for a while. With her papa bitter and rarely home, and her bossy aunt Ida in charge, Rosa has an "empty cave" feeling and now is more SOLA than ever. Why would God answer her prayers, only to take her baby brother away? Will her broken family ever be happy again?

From first-time novelist Carmela A. Martino comes a note-perfect portrait of a sensitive young grl surrounded by an extended family of loyal relatives, neighbors, and friends. Challenged by loss and ulitmately bolstered by hope, Rosa will win readers' hearts as she makes the discovery that she's not alone — and that love and kinship are sometimes found in the most unexpected places.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–Loss and healing play a central part in this gentle and moving story of an Italian immigrant family. Set in Chicago in the 1960s, the plot focuses on Rosa, an only child. While visiting her friend, she becomes enthralled with AnnaMaria's baby brother and soon begins praying for her own. When her mother becomes pregnant, Rosa is overjoyed. But the labor and delivery are difficult and the infant is stillborn. Afterward, Rosa's mother is physically and emotionally shattered, her father is angry, and Rosa feels guilty, sad, and lost. Gradually she begins to lean on her friends and extended family as she learns to cope with her loss. The story unfolds layer by layer, revealing each character's personality, secrets, and flaws. The author does not spare the difficulty of the situation and realistically depicts the ramifications of the tragedy. The healing is drawn honestly and the ending is ultimately hopeful. Italian words are defined in context and included in a glossary.–Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 4-6. Ten-year-old Rosa, the only child of Italian immigrants living in 1960s Chicago, is thrilled when she learns that her prayers to the Virgin Mary have been answered: a sibling is on the way. But the infant is stillborn, leaving her mother gravely ill, her father angry and distant, and Rosa feeling more sola (alone) than ever. Unerring in her grasp of Rosa's bewildered, stricken voice, Martino offers a child's-eye view of the yawning "empty-cave feeling" of bereavement and of the well-meaning but overwhelming relatives, especially a prickly, bossy aunt, who swoop in to help. As middle-grade readers follow Rosa through the ups and downs of the grieving process, they'll be drawn through the pages by illuminating details of the immigrant experience, from the ritual planting of tomato seedlings to Rosa's particular gift at spelling, helped by the Italians' tendency to pronounce all the tricky silent letters in English words. A subplot involving the annual spelling bee serves as a realistic dramatic centerpiece without diluting the tough themes of loss and reconciliation at the story's core. Offering a great deal of nuance within an approachable narrative, this tender novel glows with affection and hope for its grieving family--and with promise for its first-time author. A glossary will help children with the few Italian words not readily understood through context. Similarly searing portraits of young people grappling with tragic loss can be found in Ruth Wallace-Brodeur's Blue Eyes Better (2002), about a 10-year-old who loses her brother in a drunk-driving accident, and Doris Buchanan Smith's A Taste of Blackberries (1973), a short chapter book that shows a boy coming to terms with the death of his best friend. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (August 9, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763623954
• ISBN-13: 978-0763623951
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #560,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rosa & the Rosary, August 20, 2005

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Rosa, Sola (Hardcover)

This story covers July 4, 1966 until the summer of 1967. Rosa, going into 4th grade the summer of 1966 longs for a sibling. She lives in a neighborhood where most of her playmates have siblings; her best friend AnnaMaria is the oldest in a family of four.

Rosa helps AnnaMaria's mother with baby Antonio, 3-year-old Luisa and 5-year-old Caterina. She envies AnnaMaria and thinks of how lucky she is to have three siblings. She turns to prayer, saying a daily rosary for a sibling.

When Rosa's mother announces she is pregnant, nobody could be happier than Rosa. She does everything she can to prepare the hosue for the baby's birth. Her prayers have been answered.

Sadly, on May 1, 1967 her brother Joseph arrived stillborn. A pall falls over the entire family; a kind neighbor and other relatives pitch in to try to help Rosa's family move through their great loss.

An excellent story about tragedy, bonding and learning to tolerate and understand one another's differences. When Rosa firsts visits the graveyard where her brother is buried, she is dismayed that Joseph has no headstone. It is her aunt and older uncle who, having lived through tragic losses of their own who come through when least expected.

I like the way Italian words are included in the book and the rich Italian culture that was part of this story. I also like the way some of the older characters referred to Italy affectionately as "the old country." This is a book that will long remain in the minds of readers, long after they have read the last page.

4.0 out of 5 stars Read and Learn, August 18, 2010

By 

Mary Sandford "Mary from Lisle" (Lisle, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rosa, Sola (Hardcover)

Rosa Sola is a wonderful story that really hooks the reader on the first page. You will be rooting for Rosa throughout the book, but have a box of tissue ready when things don't go the way Rosa hopes. This book is not only a thoughtful, intriguing, powerful story it's a great book for writers to study. Author Martino knows the formula for a successful book.

5.0 out of 5 stars the book reveiw of Rosa, Sola, January 15, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Rosa, Sola (Hardcover)

The book review of Rosa, Sola

Rosa prayed rosary every night. The book that I want you to read is called Rosa,

Sola. Rosa is jealous because her best friend has a little brother. So Rosa fells really lonely (sola). She is the only child in her family. She prays and prays for a little brother named Joseph. Because people at her school make fun of her. The characters in this book are Rosa, Papa, Ma and Ant Ida. Rosa wants to have a baby brother so she prays and prays for one. Then her mom goes into the hospital to deliver while Ant Ida watches Rosa then her Papa calls and says the baby is there baby is here but.... The theme in this story is very loving. All the characters in the story stick together no matter what happens. Ant Ida is very kind she is like a mom to Rosa. Papa is exactly how a dad should be. Ma is very wiling if Rosa asks to make cookies her mom says get in the car to get the saples.Rosa is verey hopping she prays and prays for some thing she wants. The setting in this story is in a house in no ware land. It is about taken place in 1984. There house was a tan color. They lived in the state California.

I hope you get to read my story it is very loving, and emotional.