The How & the Why

A poignant exploration of family and the ties that bind, from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand.

Cassandra McMurtrey has the best parents a girl could ask for; they’ve given Cass a life she wouldn’t trade for the world. She has everything she needs—but she has questions, too. Like, to know who she is. Where she came from. Questions her adoptive parents can’t answer, no matter how much they love her.

But eighteen years ago, someone wrote Cass a series of letters. And they may just hold the answers Cass has been searching for.

Alternating between Cass’s search for answers and letters from the pregnant teen who placed her for adoption, this emotionally resonant narrative is the perfect read for fans of Nina LaCour and Jandy Nelson.

But what secrets do the letters hold, and can Cass handle the truth of who she is?

• A Story of Adoption from Both Sides: Follows Cass on her eighteenth birthday as she begins the search for her birth mother, and simultaneously reveals the heartfelt letters that mother wrote to her all those years ago.
• Letters from the Past: Uncover the raw, honest, and sometimes funny voice of a sixteen-year-old girl facing an impossible choice, revealing the full story of why she placed her baby for adoption.
• The Search for Identity: For Cass, who loves her adoptive parents deeply, the quest for answers isn’t about replacing her family—it’s about finally understanding herself.
• A Heartfelt Story of Family: Explores the intricate bonds of family—the one you’re born into and the one that chooses you—in a poignant novel perfect for teens and adults alike.