Student Saturday: Other Words For Home by Jasmine Warga

Student Reviewer Alicia M.

Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse

Jude is a girl from Syria. She was very interested in American songs, actors, and movies. She has black hair and black eyes. She had a very close relationship with her friend Fatima. they have close birthdays and similar intersts. She also shares interests with her older brother Issa.

Violence starts to breakout in her city, Allepo. Her family begins to worry when Issa, Jude's older brother moves to a violent city. Jude finds out her mother is pregnant. Soon after, her mother tells Jude they are going to move to America. Jude struggles to adjust to the "American way" of living. She feels left out and weird when she goes to school. She tries to build a relationship with her cousin Sarah. Jude started her period so she had to wear a hijab. She feels prouder and she feels included in school. Her younger sister is born and that was a sign of hope to her.

If I was Jude I would have felt the same, but I would've handled things differently. If I was homesick I would have told someone so I could have comfort. I recommend this book to anyone who feels bad  about their culture, looks, and religion. Being different shouldn't be a bad thing. This book shows the struggle of a teenage girl trying to fit into a new environment. It encourages people to do things that intersets them no matter looks and culture.

 

Student Saturday: To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

 

Student Reviewer: Andrea J

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Jean, a young girl has loved lots of people. I'm not going to lie. She reminds me of myself. There's one part of the book where she wrote notes to the boys. One of the lines was "I miss you. It's only been five days, but I miss you like it's been five years."

I know I might be young and all but boys are dumb. I've only dated two people and I haven been able to get over one. Then we stopped talking. I felt like one week of talking felt like a month and the month kept getting longer and longer. I think this is important ot the book because there coul dbe lots of girls out there that felt the same way so this book is a great example o to show how Lara Jean dealt with it.

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

 

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: I own a copy

    During World War II Eva Abrams and her family live in France. She was born there, but her parents came from Poland. Eva, on her home one day is stopped by a friend and warned she and her family need to get out of France.  Over dinner she tells her parents. Her mom believes that things will change because the Jews have done nothing to the Germans. Her father tries  to tell her that fliers have been placed under their door for a couple of weeks and that it is possibly a ploy by the Germans.  After her mom has retired to  her bed, Eva’s father joins her in the library. He makes her promise him that if something happens to him and her mother that she will get out. He has already paid for fake papers. She promises. She and her mother are watching the children of a neighbor who had to take care of her sick mother. The irony is the mother can’t stand them because they are Jews.  She hears a knock down the hall and watches as her father is arrested by the Nazis. She finds herself in a position where the man her father paid has not completed the job because he fears what will happen to him and his family if he is caught helping the Jews. He reminds Eva that her father told her one day her artistic talents would help her. He convinces her that she can complete the forgery of the documents.  She is determined and does just that. She and her mother escape. She finds herself in a position to help children using her talents.

    This is the fictional story of forgers who helped people by forging documents for them. The author tells a compelling story that you can’t put down. Your emotions are so high you feel as if you have been transported back in time and are working alongside Eva.  This is a must read for people who love to read about World War II. I loved the fact that I learned something new from reading this fictional book.