Meo and Be

Just before the United States enters the Vietnam War, eleven-year-old Be and her three-footed kitten Meo must rise above the injustices of war to find the comfort, safety, and love of a found family. Eleven-year-old Be hasn't spoken a word since her mother left. She hangs on to the hope that one day they will be reunited, but after two years of waiting, it's becoming more difficult. Her father can do little to protect her from her stepmother, Big Mother. Thankfully, Be has a secret friend, her little kitten Meo, to comfort her in the worst of times. Unfortunately, Big Mother has other plans. She accuses her of stealing, and Be is drugged and sold. When she wakes up, she finds herself in a locked underground bunker being held captive with a group of young women. Be is too young to understand why they're prisoners, but at least she still has Meo! As weeks pass, Be makes a friend her own age, Ngan, even without speaking, and Meo becomes a solace for the women. A violent uprising enables the imprisoned women and girls to escape. Can Be and Meo, and their newfound friend, Ngan, find their way to a safe place they can call home—even though the world is literally exploding all around them?