Kindle
$10.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$12.25
Paperback
$12.37
Out of Print--Limited Availability.
Select delivery location
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Tara Sullivan
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Bitter Side Of Sweet (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) Library Binding – June 6, 2017

by Tara Sullivan (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 278 ratings
See all formats and editions

For fans of Linda Sue Park and A Long Way Gone, two young boys must escape a life of slavery in modern-day Ivory Coast

Fifteen-year-old Amadou counts the things that matter. For two years what has mattered are the number of cacao pods he and his younger brother, Seydou, can chop down in a day. The higher the number the safer they are. The higher the number the closer they are to paying off their debt and returning home. Maybe. The problem is Amadou doesn’t know how much he and Seydou owe, and the bosses won’t tell him. The boys only wanted to make money to help their impoverished family, instead they were tricked into forced labor on a plantation in the Ivory Coast. With no hope of escape, all they can do is try their best to stay alive—until Khadija comes into their lives.

She’s the first girl who’s ever come to camp, and she’s a wild thing. She fights bravely every day, attempting escape again and again, reminding Amadou what it means to be free. But finally, the bosses break her, and what happens next to the brother he has always tried to protect almost breaks Amadou. The three band together as family and try just once more to escape.

Inspired by true-to-life events happening right now, The Bitter Side of Sweet is an exquisitely written tour de force not to be missed. 

“A gripping and painful portrait of modern-day child slavery in the cacao plantations of the Ivory Coast.”—The Wall Street Journal 

“A tender, harrowing story of family, friendship, and the pursuit of freedom.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

 

Previous page
  1. Reading age
    12 - 17 years
  2. Print length
    336 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    2 - 9
  5. Lexile measure
    0810
  6. Dimensions
    5.3 x 1.1 x 8 inches
  7. Publisher
    Turtleback Books
  8. Publication date
    June 6, 2017
  9. ISBN-10
    0606397957
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0606397957
  11. See all details
Next page
New in teachers' picks. More children's books by grade. New in teachers' picks. More children's books by grade.

From the Publisher

Turtleback Books Logo Cover Image

The Turtleback Difference

Turtleback Book Anatomy

Bound for Schools & Libraries

Turtleback Books transforms paperbacks into sturdy hardcover editions that stand up to heavy use, resulting in cost savings over time. Turtleback Books stands by its workmanship and quality of materials for the life of the book. With more than 50 years of binding experience, Turtleback Books is committed to providing the best quality pre-bound books.

Turtleback Books Classroom

Turtleback logo

Turtleback Books Libraries

Perfect for Classrooms

Fill your classroom with books that will last for decades with their dependable, hardback covers and durable spines.

Savings Over Time

Schools average replacing 5-10% of paperbacks yearly due to classroom wear and tear. Switch to Turtleback to save your school and library hundreds.

Perfect for Libraries

We offer thousands of titles to meet the demands of library and classroom environments. Turtleback Books stands by its superior binding for the life of the book, saving money and time.

Kindergarten Here I Come Hardcover The Name Jar Greek Heros by Percy Jackson On Writing Well The long walk by stephen king
Kindergarten Here I Come The Name Jar Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes On Writing Well The Long Walk
See Details
Customer Reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars
20,528
4.8 out of 5 stars
4,046
4.8 out of 5 stars
4,453
4.7 out of 5 stars
5,159
4.3 out of 5 stars
11,606
Price $14.50 $18.80 $27.90 $26.61 —
Author D. J. Steinberg Yangsook Choi Rick Riordan William Zinsser Stephen King
Ages 3 -6 years 5 - 9 years 9+ 12+ 18+
Genre Picture Book Picture Book Mythology Writing Horror
Durable hardcover laminated with polyester film ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Book length 32 pages 40 pages 528 pages 336 pages 400 pages
Book size 8.1 x 0.4 x 7.9 inches 8.25 x 0.5 x 10.75 inches 5.5 x 1.6 x 8.1 inches 5.4 x 1 x 7.9 inches 4 x 1 x 7.25 inches

Turtleback Library Binding for Books that Last

Turtleback Books

Turtleback Books, a Division of Perfection Learning

Turtleback Books offers reinforced library bindings for maximum durability for the lifetime of the book. We are dedicated to providing our customers with the most popular titles in high quality hardcover library binding. Working directly with wholesalers and retailers, we offer a thousands of book titles for classrooms and libraries.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for "The Bitter Side of Sweet"
A gripping and painful portrait of modern-day child slavery in the cacao plantations of the Ivory Coast. "The Wall Street Journal"
* A tender, harrowing story of family, friendship, and the pursuit of freedom. "Kirkus Reviews," starred review
* In crisp, accessible prose, Sullivan draws readers into a most compelling story of survival under unspeakable hardship, bravery, and teamwork Absorbing and important. "Booklist, "starred review
* [A] heart-wrenching survival tale. "Publishers Weekly," starred review
* An engaging story that will engender empathy in readers. "School Library Journal," starred review
* Curriculum connections abound and even reluctant readers will be drawn to the suspenseful plot and distinctive characters. "SLC," starred review
First-world readers will learn much about how their pleasures are underwritten by the labor of their third- world peers The resolution...is an as-good-as-it-gets kind of compromise that leaves much room for the activism advocated for in the author s note that follows. "The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"
This beautiful story of love triumphing over cruelty and profit stands out as an excellent book discussion choice or classroom study. "VOYA"

"

Praise for "The Bitter Side of Sweet"
A tender, harrowing story of family, friendship, and the pursuit of freedom. "Kirkus Reviews," starred review
In crisp, accessible prose, Sullivan draws readers into a most compelling story of survival under unspeakable hardship, bravery, and teamwork Absorbing and important. "Booklist, "starred review
[A] heart-wrenching survival tale. "Publishers Weekly," starred review
An engaging story that will engender empathy in readers. "School Library Journal," starred review
First-world readers will learn much about how their pleasures are underwritten by the labor of their third- world peers The resolution...is an as-good-as-it-gets kind of compromise that leaves much room for the activism advocated for in the author s note that follows. "The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"

"

Praise for "The Bitter Side of Sweet"
"A tender, harrowing story of family, friendship, and the pursuit of freedom." "Kirkus Reviews," starred review"

About the Author

Tara Sullivan is the author of the award-winning and critically acclaimed "Golden Boy." She" "was born in India and spent her childhood living in Bangladesh, Ecuador, Bolivia, and the Dominican Republic with her parents, who were international aid workers. She received a BA in Spanish literature and cognitive science from the University of Virginia, and an MA in Latin American Studies and an MPA in nonprofit management from Indiana University. She currently lives with her family in Massachusetts.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Turtleback Books; Bound for Schools & Libraries ed. edition (June 6, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Library Binding ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0606397957
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0606397957
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12 - 17 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 0810
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 2 - 9
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.3 x 1.1 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 278 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Tara Sullivan

Tara Sullivan

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Tara Sullivan pulls from her international childhood to write Young Adult novels that address contemporary human rights issues. Her debut, GOLDEN BOY, won the 2014 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Award, and was a YALSA, Kirkus and Wall Street Journal book of the year. Her second novel, THE BITTER SIDE OF SWEET, won the 2017 Children’s Africana Book Award, Honor, and was an ALSC Notable Children’s Book of 2017. Check out her newest book, TREASURE OF THE WORLD, and find out more at www.TaraSullivanBooks.com!

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
278 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Linda
5.0 out of 5 stars could not put this down
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
Brilliantly written in a way to promote understanding and a passion for action to rectify child exploitation. Loved this book.
Helpful
 Report
DORIS
5.0 out of 5 stars The Price of a Chocolate Bar
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
Never will a chocolate bar nor a cup of cocoa be the same since reading this book. Unknown to me when eating my favorite chocolate treat, how much horror was done just as I took my first bite of a Chocolate Kiss. Knowing this I have found "The Bitter Side of Sweet.". Child Slavery has turned my favorite chocolate bitter! The number of children is enormous who still work in these conditions. A sad but true story. I am glad I have been made aware of this issue.
Helpful
 Report
Ron
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2016
Verified Purchase
my 12 year old loved it
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn’t Put It Down
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2020
Verified Purchase
I ordered this for my 11yr old Daughter for her Battle Of The Books Club. She LOVED it and said she couldn’t put it down. This book does have some bad language and portrays some adult situations.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Cynthia Leigh Hundley
5.0 out of 5 stars The Bitter Side of Sweet hooked me from the beginning and kept me thoroughly ...
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
The Bitter Side of Sweet hooked me from the beginning and kept me thoroughly engaged throughout!! I connected with the characters immediately and found myself really feeling for them as they dealt with their struggles. I fully recommend this book as it not only provides an excellent story but connects to issues in the real world that students (and adults, too) can then research and take action to improve. :)
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Happy Shop
5.0 out of 5 stars Bittersweet - describes the good story and the strong moral of the tale
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2016
Verified Purchase
Well-told story of the love siblings share, the power of random acts of kindness, and the strength of human spirit, set amid the tragic terrible circumstances of forced child labor in the cacao trade in the Ivory Coast. The powerful arc of the tale is, at the same time, dramatic and educational. Makes you think more than twice about the Halloween candy so casually bought and distributed.
5 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Renaroo
5.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreaking
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
Riveting exposure into the darkness of the chocolate industry, yet gently beguiling readers with warmth and love between the characters on both sides of the conflicts.
Helpful
 Report
Deb
5.0 out of 5 stars Continue to enjoy this author's books
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2016
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this book very much. It was as good or better than her first book. I was not aware of the problems with the chocolate business. Ms. Sullivan's books have both been very informative regarding issues that are not well known. I am looking forward to her next book.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

E. C. Steyn
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in Canada on March 3, 2021
Verified Purchase
Although the first part of the book was very hard to read for even me as an adult, I still would recommend it for high schoolers. It deals with an issue that had long been ignored. The second part was great and adventurous.
Report