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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
So I don't read many middle school books or books written in verse. I actually didn't know that this was written in verse until I actually started it lol. But I loved it and it was SO BEAUTIFUL!!
Jude is such a wonderful character and I really liked learning about how she sees the western world. I also LOVED Jude's relationship with her mother
I feel like I'm just being a grump by not reading middle grade stories because I think I'm too old for them. They actually can be very impactful and a sometimes more impactful than a lot of young adult. Note to self: go read more middle school books !!
Jude is such a wonderful character and I really liked learning about how she sees the western world. I also LOVED Jude's relationship with her mother
I feel like I'm just being a grump by not reading middle grade stories because I think I'm too old for them. They actually can be very impactful and a sometimes more impactful than a lot of young adult. Note to self: go read more middle school books !!
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Bullying, Pregnancy, War
Minor: Violence
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Nebraska Library Commission Book Club Spotlight - April 8th, 2025
Today’s Book Club Spotlight, Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga, has been listed as a notable book for the Association for Library Service to Children, a Forbes Best Kids Book of 2019, and a Newbery Honor Book! Half-Jordanian, Warga was inspired by her community to write a story about how love and generosity can transcend country borders through the eyes of a young girl, arriving to America.
Jude is an average girl who enjoys her peaceful and fun life on the coast of Syria. She loves running around with her friend Fatima, and visiting her dad at his store as tourists bustle in and out. Whip-smart and confident, Jude often gets in trouble for talking too much, constantly being told to “skety!” (hush!) Her older brother, Issa, fights with her dad a lot about the future of their country, and Issa even moves out so he can better focus on helping others. Suddenly, their home isn’t so safe anymore. Jude and her pregnant mother move across the Atlantic Ocean to stay with family in far-flung Cincinnati, Ohio. There, Jude has to deal with all the normal middle school problems, but in a whole different country! She makes friends, learns English in her ESL class, and even auditions for the school play! It’s hard being the new kid, and here in the United States, she’s suddenly not so normal anymore.
Today’s Book Club Spotlight, Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga, has been listed as a notable book for the Association for Library Service to Children, a Forbes Best Kids Book of 2019, and a Newbery Honor Book! Half-Jordanian, Warga was inspired by her community to write a story about how love and generosity can transcend country borders through the eyes of a young girl, arriving to America.
Jude is an average girl who enjoys her peaceful and fun life on the coast of Syria. She loves running around with her friend Fatima, and visiting her dad at his store as tourists bustle in and out. Whip-smart and confident, Jude often gets in trouble for talking too much, constantly being told to “skety!” (hush!) Her older brother, Issa, fights with her dad a lot about the future of their country, and Issa even moves out so he can better focus on helping others. Suddenly, their home isn’t so safe anymore. Jude and her pregnant mother move across the Atlantic Ocean to stay with family in far-flung Cincinnati, Ohio. There, Jude has to deal with all the normal middle school problems, but in a whole different country! She makes friends, learns English in her ESL class, and even auditions for the school play! It’s hard being the new kid, and here in the United States, she’s suddenly not so normal anymore.
You will belong here.
You will belong wherever you want.
You will make anywhere beautiful
– Jasmine Warga
Being from Syria, Jude’s first language is Arabic, and to express the expressive and lyrical Arabic language in English, Other Words for Home is written in free verse – meaning that it is written with poetic intent and metaphor that flows rhythmically but doesn’t have to rhyme. This can be a great introduction to readers learning about the different ways to write and tell stories. All ages of Book Club Groups can discuss how even though Jude faces difficulty in her new country, she stays true to herself. Warga hopes young readers will be inspired by Jude’s big dreams, confidence, and love for her culture. Like other middle schoolers, Jude is trying to navigate growing up like anyone else, learning to fit in and find where to call “home”.
________
3/28:
A beautiful and touching story. I can't wait to learn more about it as I prepare for my book club spotlight. ❤️
Also, surprise autistic rep with the love interest/new friend????????? So cool!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Great verse novel that explores so many different things: identity and place, family, friendship, etc. I really liked the juxtaposition between the main character and her cousin.
I really enjoyed this middle grade novel about a 7th grade girl from Syria named Jude. Jude and her mom leave their native Syria to come to the US and stay with relatives in Cincinnati, OH. They leave behind Jude's dad and her older brother who has gone to Aleppo to help in the war torn area. I listened to the audio version of this which I think increased my enjoyment of the book. At it's heart, this is the story of a middle school girl fitting in to her new environment and understanding her place in the world. It was written so beautifully and I loved how Arabic proverbs were sprinkled in the story. I especially love "she cannot give what she does not have". So true and such a beautiful way to think about people who may from time to time disappoint you. I loved so many of the characters in this book and think I would like to read a book about each one of them, Aunt Michelle, Uncle Mazan, Sara, Fatima, etc. I felt like their own back stories were hinted at and I definitely would like to know more about all these lovely characters.
I absolutely loved this. I am going to steal the blurb on the front for my review: "This is a necessary story. We're lucky to have it in the world." — Jason Reynolds
With all that is currently happening in the world following the death of George Floyd, and the ensuing riots, I decided that I would try to take some extra time to listen to voices of BIPOC authors, to hear their stories, and to learn from them in the best way I can in my small, sheltered, very white-centred town.
So I looked through all my books, and pulled off every book I could find with BIPOC authors or main characters and decided to tackle this one first. It didn't seem too daunting or challenging, as it is presented in verse and from a 12 year old's perspective, but as I read, I did not expect it to challenge me and make me think as much as it did.
The story is told from the first person perspective of Jude, a Syrian girl who moves to America with her mother as the situation in her hometown becomes more and more uncertain, and the neighboring city of Aleppo becomes unsafe to live in. I found myself pausing a number of times to re-read a passage or quote and found myself able to better see the drastic changes of moving from one place to another in a new way.
Because of my heritage and the place I live, which I am fortunate does not see the same type of unrest as many POC communities, I have been quite sheltered from these perspectives, and only see what the media or small posts on social media share with me - which I know can be terribly biased towards ignoring the root of the problem and getting back to a sense of peace and justice without actually doing the work to get to real peace and justice.
I think this book should be read by more people, and as a teacher, I can share this with my students when the grade-appropriate opportunity presents (I'm thinking Grade 6+...not the Grade 2 class I will have...) and use it to spark discussions of how we can celebrate our differences without ignoring them and trying to hide how 'the others' are different from 'us'.
So I looked through all my books, and pulled off every book I could find with BIPOC authors or main characters and decided to tackle this one first. It didn't seem too daunting or challenging, as it is presented in verse and from a 12 year old's perspective, but as I read, I did not expect it to challenge me and make me think as much as it did.
The story is told from the first person perspective of Jude, a Syrian girl who moves to America with her mother as the situation in her hometown becomes more and more uncertain, and the neighboring city of Aleppo becomes unsafe to live in. I found myself pausing a number of times to re-read a passage or quote and found myself able to better see the drastic changes of moving from one place to another in a new way.
Because of my heritage and the place I live, which I am fortunate does not see the same type of unrest as many POC communities, I have been quite sheltered from these perspectives, and only see what the media or small posts on social media share with me - which I know can be terribly biased towards ignoring the root of the problem and getting back to a sense of peace and justice without actually doing the work to get to real peace and justice.
I think this book should be read by more people, and as a teacher, I can share this with my students when the grade-appropriate opportunity presents (I'm thinking Grade 6+...not the Grade 2 class I will have...) and use it to spark discussions of how we can celebrate our differences without ignoring them and trying to hide how 'the others' are different from 'us'.