Our Missing Hearts

Our Missing Hearts

• Genre: Fiction; Contemporary Dystopian Mystery
• Originally Published: 2022
• Reading Level/Interest: College/Adult
• Structure/Length: Approximately 331 pages; 9 hours and 51 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: In Our Missing Hearts, Bird Gardner, a 12-year-old boy, lives with his father, longing for his mother, Margaret, a Chinese American poet who disappeared when he was nine. His resentment towards her grows as he discovers her books are banned. When Bird receives a mysterious letter, he embarks on a quest to find her. His journey takes him through folktales, an underground network of librarians, and to New York City, where he hopes to uncover the truth about his mother’s disappearance and their future together.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Racism, violence

Celeste Ng, Author

• Bio: Born 1980 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; child of Hong Kong immigrants; parents were scientists; raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio; graduated in English from Harvard University in 2002; earned a Master’s of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan in 2006; gained recognition with her short story “Girls, at Play”; Authored best-selling novels, including Everything I Never Told You (2014) and Little Fires Everywhere (2017); active on social media; advocate for social justice causes
• Other Works: Everything I Never Told You (2014); Little Fires Everywhere (2017)
• Awards: New York Times Notable Book of 2022