Foster: by the Booker-shortlisted author of Small Things Like These

It is a hot summer in rural Ireland. A child is taken by her father to live with relatives on a farm, not knowing when or if she will be brought home again.

Claire Keegan’s piercing contemporary classic Foster is a heartbreaking story of childhood, loss, and love; now released as a standalone book for the first time ever in the US

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Published Nov 1, 2022

90 pages

Average rating: 8.19

314 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

thenextgoodbook
Sep 04, 2025
10/10 stars
thenextgoodbook.com

What’s it about?

This short novel takes place in rural Ireland. The story opens as a father is taking his young daughter to stay with relatives for awhile. A new baby is due and one less child around will be helpful. In this new home the girl finds love and affection that are sorely missing at home.

What did it make me think about?

How fragile and yet resilient children are.

Should I read it?

Again- Claire Keegan writes so beautifully! I am not sure how she conveys so much in so few pages. This reads like a short story and it is just masterfully written. I will be reading anything else that Claire Keegan writes! Definitely pick this one up. A master class in writing.

Quote-

“I wonder why my father lies about the hay. He is given to lying about things that would be nice, if they were true.”

Mjk
Mar 28, 2023
7/10 stars
Beautiful short and sweet amongst tragedy and poverty stricken families.
lorilee
Mar 09, 2026
another awesome read
Ebane1031
Feb 27, 2026
9/10 stars
From the author of Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan. I love her style. The cadence of her words is beautiful and fitting of her settings, themes, and characters. Lovely, sad and sweet.
Mary Pat Holt
Feb 05, 2026
2/10 stars
I don't get all the fuss about this book. It is a very short novella. A young girl, whose name we never know, goes to live with a foster family for the summer. Her life with the Kinsellas' is very different from the life she knows. It takes place in Ireland; I didn't care for the writing style or the language. Rounded up to 1.5 because I could read it while watching basketball.

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