Scan barcode
mezzano's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Red, White, and Whole written by Rjani LaRocca is a heart-breaking story written in lyric. This story is about Reha, an Indian-American student with immigrant parents, and her struggle to feel as though she belongs with the world around her. When her mother gets sick, Reha struggles to balance her life at home with her life at school.
The setting of this book is the United States in the 1980s, switching occasionally from Reha's past and present day. While there are plenty of music and MTV references, there also references to Indian mythology and other aspects of Reha's culture. The way the the book seamlessly travels between both aspects of Reha's identity builds a deep understanding of Reha's struggle to fit in for the reader. It is clear that she recognizes her family is different than her classmates' in a deeper way than the fact she is the only brown student at her school.
Red, White, and Whole is an Own Voices novel written by an Indian-American author. It is evident the care LaRocca puts in her stories to create meaningful representation in the middle grade fiction genre. I enjoyed learning about Reha's culture: from the food she ate, the stories she was told, and how she celebrated Westernized holidays. This book is a must for any bookshelf or classroom library.
The setting of this book is the United States in the 1980s, switching occasionally from Reha's past and present day. While there are plenty of music and MTV references, there also references to Indian mythology and other aspects of Reha's culture. The way the the book seamlessly travels between both aspects of Reha's identity builds a deep understanding of Reha's struggle to fit in for the reader. It is clear that she recognizes her family is different than her classmates' in a deeper way than the fact she is the only brown student at her school.
Red, White, and Whole is an Own Voices novel written by an Indian-American author. It is evident the care LaRocca puts in her stories to create meaningful representation in the middle grade fiction genre. I enjoyed learning about Reha's culture: from the food she ate, the stories she was told, and how she celebrated Westernized holidays. This book is a must for any bookshelf or classroom library.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Medical content, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Gore
More...