Our Missing Hearts

Description

In a near-future America gripped by fear and control, twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives quietly with his father, a former linguist turned library clerk. Their lives are shaped by oppressive laws designed to preserve “American culture,” allowing the government to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian descent. Among the banned books is the poetry of Bird’s mother, Margaret, a Chinese American writer who disappeared years ago.

Bird has been taught not to ask questions. But when he receives a mysterious letter containing only a drawing, he begins a journey to uncover the truth about his mother—and himself. His search leads him through:

• Forgotten folktales and childhood memories
• A secret network of rebel librarians
• The hidden stories of children torn from their families
• And a final act of defiance in New York City that could spark change

Our Missing Hearts is a deeply moving novel about family, censorship, and the power of art to challenge injustice. Celeste Ng explores how societies can silence voices in the name of order—and how love, memory, and resistance can still survive.