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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
I found myself cackling at a number of lines in this. Comparing her hunt for condoms to her first time in Del Taco was the winner, though.
There is often an expectation that a story told must have something which we don't often get to experience. Something beyond our own mundane existence and daily grind.
However there is merit in observing the tribulations of people who can be any person picked from a sample of humans. More often than not, the better stories have truth in them without any need for adventures or unlikely events.
Gabi is a similar tale of a high school senior, struggling with her own insecurities of being fat, loving food, having friends who make mistakes or have different choices. Any person who went to school could pick out one such person, maybe even a friend who went through if not the same incidents.
There's no great redeemer, something that'll make Gabi a great champion, or make the people who thought down of her to suddenly stare in awe and get humiliated for their belittling assumptions. Such things don't happen in real life.
The only thing we get for ourselves is a small universe where we might make an impact on the ones we love and at the end of it all, have them stick with us for a dinner in some diner after graduation.
It was a good read, and some good poems and haikus didn't hurt either. I did have to translate some phrases because I don't know Spanish, but it wasn't that bad.
Best wishes to the author for more works!
However there is merit in observing the tribulations of people who can be any person picked from a sample of humans. More often than not, the better stories have truth in them without any need for adventures or unlikely events.
Gabi is a similar tale of a high school senior, struggling with her own insecurities of being fat, loving food, having friends who make mistakes or have different choices. Any person who went to school could pick out one such person, maybe even a friend who went through if not the same incidents.
There's no great redeemer, something that'll make Gabi a great champion, or make the people who thought down of her to suddenly stare in awe and get humiliated for their belittling assumptions. Such things don't happen in real life.
The only thing we get for ourselves is a small universe where we might make an impact on the ones we love and at the end of it all, have them stick with us for a dinner in some diner after graduation.
It was a good read, and some good poems and haikus didn't hurt either. I did have to translate some phrases because I don't know Spanish, but it wasn't that bad.
Best wishes to the author for more works!
Written in diary format, Gabi tells the story of her senior year as the "fat" Mexican American trying to fit in, get accepted to college, and fall in love. All the while dealing with a pregnant mother, methhead father, and pregnant best friend. Some may see this book as stereotypical, but I have many students who will connect right away with Gabi and be able to relate to her struggles.
This is such a great #ownvoices feminist novel about a Mexican-American girl taking us through the diary entries of her last year of high school as life gets really messy and she starts to question the world around her.
Trigger warnings for rape, substance abuse, abortion...this book covers a lot of ground and while at times it seemed a tad over the top, I think everything was given enough time to be explored and discussed. In terms of diversity, the majority of the characters are LatinX, and one of Gabi's friends is in M/M relationships.
This book tackles issues of body image, dating and female sexuality (there is non-descriptive, consensual woohooing with protection between Gabi and her boyfriend who are in a very cute and healthy relationship), religion, homophobia, teen pregnancy, grief and race to name a few.
While there were times where certain words/phrases were used that I didn't jive with (her commenting on a couple with accessibility issues and using the "R" word), Gabi became more likeable around 25% of the way through. Her poetry and feminist zine show up later on in the book as well.
I think this was a great book that deals with topics that are often glossed over or absent from other teen novels. It encourages young women to not feel ashamed of their bodies or sexuality and to question social restraints placed upon them.
Trigger warnings for rape, substance abuse, abortion...this book covers a lot of ground and while at times it seemed a tad over the top, I think everything was given enough time to be explored and discussed. In terms of diversity, the majority of the characters are LatinX, and one of Gabi's friends is in M/M relationships.
This book tackles issues of body image, dating and female sexuality (there is non-descriptive, consensual woohooing with protection between Gabi and her boyfriend who are in a very cute and healthy relationship), religion, homophobia, teen pregnancy, grief and race to name a few.
While there were times where certain words/phrases were used that I didn't jive with (her commenting on a couple with accessibility issues and using the "R" word), Gabi became more likeable around 25% of the way through. Her poetry and feminist zine show up later on in the book as well.
I think this was a great book that deals with topics that are often glossed over or absent from other teen novels. It encourages young women to not feel ashamed of their bodies or sexuality and to question social restraints placed upon them.
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gabi Hernandez chronicles all the important pieces of her senior year of high school in her diary. Through her diary she tries to make sense of her best friends Cindy's pregnancy and Sebastian's coming out.
Gabi also has to deal with college applications and the confusing world of boys.
Add to that her father's meth addiction and her complicated relationship with food (thanks to her mom always harassing Gabi about what she eats) and Gabi's plate is already more than full for the year.
In the midst of a difficult year Gabi finds solace in an unlikely place. Gabi always knew she liked writing and poetry. She just didn't realize discovering the poetry within herself (and around her) would have the power to change everything in Gabi, a Girl in Pieces (2014) by Isabel Quintero.
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is Quintero's first novel and the winner of the 2015 William C. Morris YA Debut Award.
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is told entirely through Gabi's diary entries as she navigates an especially complicated year in her life as many long-standing problems come to a head including her father's addiction and Gabi's mother's disapproval of Gabi's plans to go away to college.
Quintero brings Gabi to life with a vivid voice and authentic storytelling that mark this novel as a standout in the diary novel sub-genre. While Gabi sometimes comes across as younger than her seventeen years, she is always honest and raw.
Gabi's story is effervescent and overall sweet even with real moments of sadness and other serious situations in the story. Given the nature of a diary format, Gabi, a Girl in pieces is not always a cohesive story as Gabi's thoughts and her life jump from point to point.
What does remain consistent throughout is Gabi's love of words. The enthusiasm Gabi feels as she begins to find her voice as a writer and discover new poets is infectious. Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is an empowering, thoughtful novel brimming with creative energy.
Possible Pairings: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley, And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard, Alice, I Think by Susan Juby, Undercover by Beth Kephart, The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison, How to Save a Life by Sarah Zarr
Gabi also has to deal with college applications and the confusing world of boys.
Add to that her father's meth addiction and her complicated relationship with food (thanks to her mom always harassing Gabi about what she eats) and Gabi's plate is already more than full for the year.
In the midst of a difficult year Gabi finds solace in an unlikely place. Gabi always knew she liked writing and poetry. She just didn't realize discovering the poetry within herself (and around her) would have the power to change everything in Gabi, a Girl in Pieces (2014) by Isabel Quintero.
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is Quintero's first novel and the winner of the 2015 William C. Morris YA Debut Award.
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is told entirely through Gabi's diary entries as she navigates an especially complicated year in her life as many long-standing problems come to a head including her father's addiction and Gabi's mother's disapproval of Gabi's plans to go away to college.
Quintero brings Gabi to life with a vivid voice and authentic storytelling that mark this novel as a standout in the diary novel sub-genre. While Gabi sometimes comes across as younger than her seventeen years, she is always honest and raw.
Gabi's story is effervescent and overall sweet even with real moments of sadness and other serious situations in the story. Given the nature of a diary format, Gabi, a Girl in pieces is not always a cohesive story as Gabi's thoughts and her life jump from point to point.
What does remain consistent throughout is Gabi's love of words. The enthusiasm Gabi feels as she begins to find her voice as a writer and discover new poets is infectious. Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is an empowering, thoughtful novel brimming with creative energy.
Possible Pairings: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume, Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley, And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard, Alice, I Think by Susan Juby, Undercover by Beth Kephart, The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison, How to Save a Life by Sarah Zarr
challenging
emotional
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:
Yes
funny
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
gabi is a extremely relatable character. Reading her journal felt true to the perspective of a high school senior. Was a little hard at parts because i don’t know spanish but overall very great book