This book appears to be happy and cute; simple title, simple cover, but there is so much more inside! This is a story told from alternating perspectives. Dess narrates half of the chapters and comes from a family of criminals. Her father is a gang member and her mom is a drug addict. Dess’ whole life has been about survival and sinking into the shadows to stay out of the way. The one thing she does understand is loyalty to her half brother and protecting him regardless of who is his parent.
Hope has a strong family that breaths kindness. They never raise their voices, they show appreciation and gratitude and they make a point to share meals together. Hope’s family is also a foster family that has had custody of Dess’ brother, Austin, for the last four years. Now Dess has been removed from the group home and sent to live with Hope and Austin. Can these two ever accept each other and become a family?
With a few bumps in the road and the sad comparison of one family of neglect and one family of support, Peas and Carrots is a quick read that reminds readers that we aren’t always defined by our family members.