Reviews

The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani

ladygetslit's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

This was a big-hearted, thoughtful story about a 6th grader figuring out who she is amidst life’s changes and struggles. Most of the story is about Sonia, a half-Indian Jewish girl who has to move schools when her dad loses his job. The story focuses on her developing new friendships and navigating the awkwardness of being a middle schooler, which was cute to see. What surprised me was the sub-plot surrounding Sonia’s dad as he struggles with debilitating depression; the novel does a good job of showing it through a child’s eyes. I do think the writing was what made this less enjoyable for me. Granted, it’s middle grade, which I typically read seldomly… but this just felt too much tell and not enough show. I wanted to feel Sonia’s emotions, rather than having her narrate them to us all the time. Overall, I think this would be great for 4th-7th grade kiddos, especially in a larger conversation about cultural background.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Bullying, Racism, and Abandonment

rsnow11's review

4.0

I liked the idea of this better than I liked the actual book. I found the main character kind of whiny, but it was a decent surface-level book about middle school drama.

jessicaye's review against another edition

3.0

i was going through my bookshelves and found this. interesting, pretty relatable, but not exceptional

paperbacks_and_ponytails's review against another edition

4.0

I never used to like contemporary books, but the more I read them....the more I grow to love them, and this book is no exception.

Sonia is half Jewish and half Indian, when her father loses his job she is sent to a public school where she finds out that things can be completely different from life just yesterday. Filled with heartache, new relationships and struggles...Sonia will learn that sometimes we have to go through hard times to find out who we really are.

thebookishlibrarian's review against another edition

Sonia Nadhamuni is half Indian and half Jewish. She goes to a private school. That is, she used to go to a private school until her dad lost his job. Now she has to go to the local public school and leave her old friends behind. Switching schools has made Sonia question her identity; she fit in so well at her old school. Was she Indian? Was she white? Both? Half and half? Self-identity is a journey for all of us. Read The Whole Story of Half a Girl to learn how Sonia figures out who she is.

kellerm's review against another edition

4.0

This was a good book. But I'm not sure it's elementary material. Good for middle school. A little girly. Main characters are middle school. Spin the the bottle is included.

noodelydia's review against another edition

4.0

Read this book looking for things to give my little sisters to help broaden their view of the world and the perspectives of people who are not like the protagonists of the books they normally read (white, cis, hetero, etc). Didn't expect to be moved to tears by Sonia at the end wondering about her dad. Didn't realize I wondered about people leaving and why people did things that hurt made me and made me question whether they loved me and how they could claim to still love me - and how those people never sat down to talk about that or try to explain what was going on.

jilljarvis's review against another edition

4.0

I so enjoy a middle grade book that is packed full with a life lesson that many adults haven't seemed to grasp. The way that Hiranandani walks Sonia through the process of finding her more true self is amazing.

clg2022's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

lindalou's review against another edition

3.0

A great middle school book that deals with being a mixed race person and mental illness in the family.