Mélie had never met her father, a political prisoner in a faraway dictatorship. She’s lived in Montreal with her mother as long as she can remember, envisioning her tiny apartment as a cozy cocoon for two caterpillars.

But then her father Sami is unexpectedly released and sent into exile. He arrives by taxi, very quiet and broken. The title is something of a misnomer because Mélie doesn’t so much tame her father as slowly create a link with him. It’s a wonderful book that’s not just for children.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, House of Anansi Press Inc. and Groundwood Books in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting story presenting a family situation that I have not really seen in any other book before.

Young Melie has never met her father until he moves into the small apartment she shares with her mother. Melie not only has to learn to adapt to having him back in her life, but they both have to start learning one another through a generational/cultural divide that leads to some unexpected problems and frustrations.

Overall a heartwarming story in the end.

This was such a beautiful story. Melie doesn't know her father because he's been a political prisoner for years, and her mother didn't teach her their language because she was trying to move on. When the father gets to go home, Melie doesn't know how to deal with him, because they can't even understand each other and he is traumatized.
The family works towards healing as they interact with each other and with other wonderful people in the neighborhood. I highly recommend this book for people trying to understand how difficult it can be to move from a place with problems. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this