A review by jollymama
Becoming Naomi León by Pam Muñoz Ryan

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I love a good middle grade book! I read this for two reasons: 1- I loved Esperanza Rising by the same author. 2- My son is reading it with his 6th grade class. He isn't loving it, but I did! One reason I love middle grade books is because they're usually a quick read. Another is the hopeful tone, and the message it sends. Becoming Naomi Leon touches on some hard topics- absentee parents being a big one. But between Naomi and Gram, they maintain a level of positivity. If you believe in something enough, you can make it happen. "Leon" means "lion." Naomi must find the lion within and learn to be brave! It's really a beautiful story. I can't say it was better than Esperanza, which had me bawling. This one didn't, and that's ok. It was still really good! I'm excited to talk with Zane about it more once they finish it.