July 2026

There are books that steal a part of your heart. LITTLE WONDER by Sophie Chen Keller is one of them. In it, Song gives birth to a boy who she names River. Because of the availability of work, she is apart from her husband, Blue, who has headed hours away where he can find a job in construction. They eagerly plan to see one another each year at the Spring Festival and mark the time until they will be together again. But they continue to be separated. Sadly, Song gets a cryptic call one day that Blue has been killed in a construction accident, and a settlement will be made.

When this money arrives, Song buys a piano that her son, who clearly has an interest in music, can play. For years, River is trained locally, but Song realizes that his talent needs a bigger stage. So they head to Beijing where he has a chance to practice and perform. But in the very crowded Beijing Railway Station, Song and River are separated, and panic ensues. Song has all of their possessions on her back, except for the piano they needed to leave behind. Their search to find each other is futile.

After a harrowing time of being lost, River is chased by guards. He drops his inhaler and clutches his sheet music. He is very much alone but is befriended by a guard at the station who gives him a safe place to sleep. As he explores the area, River finds a piano and spends time playing music that soothes his soul. A woman named Phyllis hears him play and recognizes his talent. At just 11 years old, River is shepherded to a music career by Phyllis, a pianist who takes him under her wing. He moves into a very privileged world where there are two baby grand pianos in the living room, and he is taught and nurtured. But he worries about his mother and wants to find her. 

In Beijing, Song is a delivery worker. She hustles to get orders to people on time, clicking “Delivered” on her phone. She lives in tight quarters with a number of other workers, all of whom support one another. They know of Song's longing to find River. Readers will see the two different worlds of China --- those who have privilege and those who live their lives day to day. Whenever she can, Song asks people if they have seen River, which typically brings a slammed door or an angry shout. 

I will not spoil the ending of the book, but I think you will want tissues as you read it. It is perfectly and beautifully done. There is a lot for book groups to talk about here. If a member of your group is a pianist, hearing the music would make your meeting special. So would just playing some of the pieces via an online music source.