The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt

A middle grade epistolary novel by Gabrielle Prendergast, Development Funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Purchase here: Amazon US – Amazon Canada – Barnes & Noble – Orca Book – Indie Bound –

Selectively mute Sara finds her voice and her passion for helping people as she writes letters to her gravely ill newborn baby brother.

Ten year-old Sara Salt’s mother and step-father had a plan, but that plan went sideways. Sara’s baby brother, Oliver, came way too soon, and between her mom recovering from whatever happened (no one explained it to Sara), and her step father spending days sitting by the incubator where tiny Oliver fights for life, neither of them has time to be parents, at least not to painfully shy, anxious Sara.

Enter Sara’s adult half-sister, Abby, a successful architect and outspoken housing activist who invites Sara to live with her in one of the experimental housing units she designed in downtown Toronto. It’s just for the summer, so there’s no school to worry about. The library is across the street. Abby works from home. They’ll be fine.

But when Toronto’s mayor clashes with Abby’s housing co-op, suddenly Sara and Abby are at the center of a campaign for the rights of housing insecure people and families. And if the mayor won’t listen to the grown-ups in the co-op, maybe she will listen to Sara. Sara just needs to figure out the best way to be heard. Through it all, Sara writes letters to the baby brother who might never grow up, confessing her anxieties, her dreams, and her growing understanding of the importance of community and the power of one girl’s voice.

THE ANXIOUS EXILE OF SARA SALT will appeal to readers of the award-winning NO FIXED ADDRESS by Susin Nielsen, and other classic realistic middle grade novels such as BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE by Kate DiCamillo and WONDER by R.J. Palacio.

Read an excerpt here.

Awards and Honors

Telling Tales Reading List | 2025 | Commended

Forest of Reading Silver Birch Fiction Award | 2026 | Nominated

CCBC Selection Fall 2025

Globe & Mail Ten Best Kids Books of 2025

Reviews

⭐️ Starred Review: “A meaningful, heartwarming read exploring different types of families, housing insecurity, selective mutism, postpartum depression, and the power of creative problem-solving in quiet advocacy. A fast-paced, accessible read perfect for an early middle grade reading level and great for the classroom. Kids with big feelings and compassion will related to Sara’s experiences. Prendergast explores powerful themes in a way that is hopeful and shows kids they too can make a difference. A must-purchase for exploration of advocacy for kiddos with sensitive souls, and a great choice for group reading.” School Library Journal January 2025

“This charming and engaging book has much to teach readers about anxiety disorders, homelessness, and family, but Sara’s narrative voice never feels didactic. Most of the lessons are cleverly worked into the story…which makes the educational moments feel authentic. Many readers will relate to Sara, whether they share the same experiences or they just struggle to make themselves heard. A sweet, touching story of young girl forging connections and coming into her own.” Kirkus

“The novel showcases how Sara develops her own voice in her own way and uses it to make a difference. Reminiscent of Ann Braden’s The Benefits of Being an Octopus (2018) and Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer’s To Night Owl from Dogfish (2019), this book is a perfectly paced, heartwarming choice for middle-grade readers drawn to stories of activism.” Booklist

“This novel, written as a series of letters, has many interwoven themes. It is about Sara who is a selective mute and her attempts at overcoming this challenge. It is about what it means to be a family and whether it is just biology or more. It is about all of our responsibility to help those less fortunate. It is about friendship. It is about perceptions. It is about pride. All of these interlinked messages make the story fast-paced and difficult to put down. By the end of the novel, readers will be rooting for all of the characters and asking themselves what they can do to help. The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt is a touching story, well-written and a must-read!” CM: Canadian Review of Materials