Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Lucky Broken Girl

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar (ISBN: 978-0399546440)

Hey guys, remember how I'm looking for books about diversity?  You know how the ALA announces the winners of their various youth media awards every February?  I thought to myself, "Hmm... let me see if any award winning books this year perhaps address the experiences of minorities in the US or elsewhere!"  Sure enough, I've found another gem!  The winner of this year's Pura Belpré Author Award is Lucky Broken Girl and I am a lucky (librarian) girl for having the chance to read it.

Ruthie is a young Cuban-Jewish immigrant whose family moves to NYC in the 1960s in hopes of a better life, away from oppression in Castro's Cuba.  She struggles with a language barrier, a mother who misses her home, and a boisterous family full of interesting characters who cannot always 'see' her through the chaotic noise of their lives.  Her grandparents emigrated to Cuba from Germany during WWII because of their Jewish heritage - they speak a delightful mix of Yiddish-German-Spanish.  Her mother makes both Caribbean pastries and kosher dinners.  Her neighbor on one side is from India and teaches her to pray to Shiva, a little girl friend from Belgium gives her endless cream puffs, and a Mexican artist neighbor on the other side introduces her to the paintings of Frida Kahlo.  Her life really is a bouillabaisse of flavors and cultures; but everything comes to a screeching halt when she is bedridden as the result of a terrible car accident.  For months, Ruthie's life is on hold as she waits to heal from wounds both physical and emotional.  

Yet in her waiting, she discovers a new inner strength.  In her moments of darkness and anger, her neighbors and family share their sources of light: good books, art kits, snacks smuggled past over-protective mothers, piñatas, prayers to saints and painters, and Cuban cha-cha-cha music.  Ruthie emerges as a shining example of female resilience, beauty, intelligence, and ingenuity.  Her buoyant and brave family and neighborhood friends provide for all of us an example of how love and courage are all you really need in life.  This book is a must read!

Want more? Here's the book trailer, made by the author herself!

Here's also a lengthier interview with Ruth Behar about her writing and the importance of diverse literature for middle grade readers:

Homemade tees: one of my favorite tid-bits in this book is the similarity between Ruthie, in her bedridden state, discovering painting and her connection with Frida Kahlo as a bedridden artist.  Therefore, this t-shirt seems perfect for any fan of Lucky Broken Girl.











PS - remember how I recently reviewed Refugee by Alan Gratz?  I am loving the connection between all of these various books about immigrants and how many of them have characters from Germany, Cuba, and the US. #BookNerdAlert