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A review by shelovestoread
The Other Half of Happy: (middle Grade Novel for Ages 9-12, Bilingual Tween Book) by Rebecca Balcárcel
4.0
This books is a poignant coming of age story.
As she comes off of childhood and start transition toward teenage-hood her mind and thoughts begin to expand, as one does and she suddenly finds herself struggling to figure out where she belong, whats her identity. One half Guatemalan, one half american, she struggles to find her fit between the two cultures.
This book is a beautiful homage to a human's struggle to find their identity, the vulnerability and the struggles of a person, specially a kid with immigrant parent to find their space between the two culture. Where do they belong in the spectrum? the struggles with feeling american, the country you were born in or the country of you parents back home your culture and ancestry.
Quijana, was a very steadfast, emotional and loud protagonist. As a 12 old its incredibly hard to define who you are and how to be yourself, and if you add juggling between two cultures it become extremely hard to find you identity and at 12 you are influenced by your surrounding. Everything might not be acceptable or found cool by the kids are you.
As the book goes on and our young protagonist finds its harder and harder to define what she wanted. And when you are confused and frustrated, you get ferocious and hell bent on not wanting change to happen to accept things. It has such a thought provoking storyline of a girl who is constantly in between trying to act out, might lash out at last resort, which i found so realistic.
It had a beautiful portrayal of friendship, reaching out and finding you tribe as you grow up, and it does it so beautifully, unraveling those little pieces of love, family, friendship and kinship.
This books is a beautiful, uprooting portrayal of a young kids vulnerability, struggle and journey to find out where she fits as growing up and learning where she actually belongs.
Quijana is a girl in pieces.
As she comes off of childhood and start transition toward teenage-hood her mind and thoughts begin to expand, as one does and she suddenly finds herself struggling to figure out where she belong, whats her identity. One half Guatemalan, one half american, she struggles to find her fit between the two cultures.
This book is a beautiful homage to a human's struggle to find their identity, the vulnerability and the struggles of a person, specially a kid with immigrant parent to find their space between the two culture. Where do they belong in the spectrum? the struggles with feeling american, the country you were born in or the country of you parents back home your culture and ancestry.
Quijana, was a very steadfast, emotional and loud protagonist. As a 12 old its incredibly hard to define who you are and how to be yourself, and if you add juggling between two cultures it become extremely hard to find you identity and at 12 you are influenced by your surrounding. Everything might not be acceptable or found cool by the kids are you.
As the book goes on and our young protagonist finds its harder and harder to define what she wanted. And when you are confused and frustrated, you get ferocious and hell bent on not wanting change to happen to accept things. It has such a thought provoking storyline of a girl who is constantly in between trying to act out, might lash out at last resort, which i found so realistic.
It had a beautiful portrayal of friendship, reaching out and finding you tribe as you grow up, and it does it so beautifully, unraveling those little pieces of love, family, friendship and kinship.
This books is a beautiful, uprooting portrayal of a young kids vulnerability, struggle and journey to find out where she fits as growing up and learning where she actually belongs.