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matamgirl's review
3.0
This was cute. Sonia is a little naive true but she has led a sheltered life. Her struggles adjusting to public school were realistic but the stuff about her father just seemed to be thrown in randomly for more issue. Overall though this was solid middle grade fiction.
devrose's review
2.0
Reading the description, I knew that this book could be really good, like Bud, Not Buddy. It explores some really deep issues - identity and depression. Unfortunately, I never got much of a sense of the characters. I feel like the author tried to do too much in the space she had, and if either there weren't so many issues or the book was longer it could have been really great.
kdekoster's review against another edition
4.0
Recap:
Sonia is half Indian and half Jewish, but that has never really seemed to matter. At Community, all of the kids in her class are unique, and their teacher - Jack - makes a point of teaching them about all different cultures. But Sonia won't be going to Community any more. Her dad has lost his job, and she will be starting 6th grade at the public middle school.
At her new school, everything is different. Her skin is too dark for some kids, and too light for others. She dresses all wrong, brings the wrong food for lunch, and can't even make the cheerleading team - even though she's definitely better than some of the girls on the squad. On top of all of that, her father is becoming seriously depressed since he still hasn't found a new job. But when Sonia starts hanging out with Kate, it seems like everything is going to change for the better.
Review:
The Whole Story of Half a Girl is 100% wonderful. I mean seriously, completely wonderful. This is Veera Hiranandani's first novel, and she needs to write another pretty much immediately.
This is the second middle grade novel featuring an Indian main character that I've read this week, and I hope that Indian culture is slowly becoming more of a trend in MG/YA lit. That being said, I would have loved to have gotten more details about what makes Indian culture unique and different. Sonia has to tell a kid at her new school that her father doesn't wear a turbin, or a feathered headdress for that matter, but other than a brief mention of a family trip to Bombay and a beautiful Indian dress, she really doesn't elaborate on that part of her background. Sonia is also half Jewish, although her mom makes a point of saying that Judaism is a religion, not an ethnicity, so she can't actually be "half" Jewish. As Sonia's mother isn't particularly religious, Sonia herself has received little exposure to Jewish customs, so readers hoping for a mini-lesson on Judaism may be disappointed.
Now I know I'm starting to sound a little negative, but remember what I said: 100% wonderful. Every character is written so realistically, it wouldn't be surprising if Sonia's story turned out to be nonfiction. This could be partially due to the fact that the main character is partly based on Hiranandani's own experiences growing up half Indian, half Jewish, and not feeling like she really fit in anywhere.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the characterization of the "antagonist." I'm not even sure if I can call Kate an antagonist, because I think that she really did mean well. Kate was the queen bee of the 6th grade girls, and she wanted to be friends with Sonia. But becoming Kate's friend meant some changes for Sonia - changes in clothing, hobbies, lunch food... She even had Sonia lying to her own family. But seriously, I liked Kate. And I didn't see Sonia as weak or a liar or anything like that when she was with Kate. They were both just 6th grade girls, trying to figure out where they fit in to the world. And their story didn't need any super mean girls, or paranormal activity, or deep romantic love, because 6th grade is challenging enough without any of that extra stuff.
The other part of the story revolved around Sonia's father, who sank into a deep depression after being out of work for several months. When he actually went missing, their entire family was forced to take a step back and re-evaluate what was really important in their lives. This part of the plot was written so realistically, I think it could be a true source of comfort for other children and teens who have a parent going through depression.
Recommendation:
If you're a fan of extremely well-written contemporary fiction, you are going to love The Whole Story of Half a Girl. I would be particularly excited to recommend this book to middle grade girls who are struggling to fit in.
Quotable Quotes:
"...where were you supposed to sit if you were too dark to be white and too light to be black?"
"I thought she liked me because I was different, but maybe she just liked me because she thought she could make me the same."
Sonia is half Indian and half Jewish, but that has never really seemed to matter. At Community, all of the kids in her class are unique, and their teacher - Jack - makes a point of teaching them about all different cultures. But Sonia won't be going to Community any more. Her dad has lost his job, and she will be starting 6th grade at the public middle school.
At her new school, everything is different. Her skin is too dark for some kids, and too light for others. She dresses all wrong, brings the wrong food for lunch, and can't even make the cheerleading team - even though she's definitely better than some of the girls on the squad. On top of all of that, her father is becoming seriously depressed since he still hasn't found a new job. But when Sonia starts hanging out with Kate, it seems like everything is going to change for the better.
Review:
The Whole Story of Half a Girl is 100% wonderful. I mean seriously, completely wonderful. This is Veera Hiranandani's first novel, and she needs to write another pretty much immediately.
This is the second middle grade novel featuring an Indian main character that I've read this week, and I hope that Indian culture is slowly becoming more of a trend in MG/YA lit. That being said, I would have loved to have gotten more details about what makes Indian culture unique and different. Sonia has to tell a kid at her new school that her father doesn't wear a turbin, or a feathered headdress for that matter, but other than a brief mention of a family trip to Bombay and a beautiful Indian dress, she really doesn't elaborate on that part of her background. Sonia is also half Jewish, although her mom makes a point of saying that Judaism is a religion, not an ethnicity, so she can't actually be "half" Jewish. As Sonia's mother isn't particularly religious, Sonia herself has received little exposure to Jewish customs, so readers hoping for a mini-lesson on Judaism may be disappointed.
Now I know I'm starting to sound a little negative, but remember what I said: 100% wonderful. Every character is written so realistically, it wouldn't be surprising if Sonia's story turned out to be nonfiction. This could be partially due to the fact that the main character is partly based on Hiranandani's own experiences growing up half Indian, half Jewish, and not feeling like she really fit in anywhere.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the characterization of the "antagonist." I'm not even sure if I can call Kate an antagonist, because I think that she really did mean well. Kate was the queen bee of the 6th grade girls, and she wanted to be friends with Sonia. But becoming Kate's friend meant some changes for Sonia - changes in clothing, hobbies, lunch food... She even had Sonia lying to her own family. But seriously, I liked Kate. And I didn't see Sonia as weak or a liar or anything like that when she was with Kate. They were both just 6th grade girls, trying to figure out where they fit in to the world. And their story didn't need any super mean girls, or paranormal activity, or deep romantic love, because 6th grade is challenging enough without any of that extra stuff.
The other part of the story revolved around Sonia's father, who sank into a deep depression after being out of work for several months. When he actually went missing, their entire family was forced to take a step back and re-evaluate what was really important in their lives. This part of the plot was written so realistically, I think it could be a true source of comfort for other children and teens who have a parent going through depression.
Recommendation:
If you're a fan of extremely well-written contemporary fiction, you are going to love The Whole Story of Half a Girl. I would be particularly excited to recommend this book to middle grade girls who are struggling to fit in.
Quotable Quotes:
"...where were you supposed to sit if you were too dark to be white and too light to be black?"
"I thought she liked me because I was different, but maybe she just liked me because she thought she could make me the same."
library_brandy's review against another edition
4.0
Sonia's dad lost his job at the end of last school year, and the whole family has to make adjustments: her mom is teaching a ton more classes, and to save money, Sonia and her little sister are switched into public school. Public school is really different from her tiny, beloved Community School: Sonia has to navigate the various cliques (including the cheerleaders, who want to recruit her, and the outsiders, who just plain like her) while figuring out how to deal with a school where all the white kids sit together and all the black kids sit together--and where does she, with her half-Indian, half-Jewish heritage, fit in? Her mom doesn't like her new friends and her dad has been really moody and sometimes mean--right up until he disappears.
Issues of identity will resonate with nearly all middle-schoolers, particularly those of mixed ethnicities. Also deals with mental health, unemployment, and shifting social groups. I'm a little disappointed in things that were never addressed (the not-great white girl makes the cheer squad ahead of the more-talented Indian girl, for instance; also curious about the friend's financial situation, where the parents have penty of money without working much ) but they're not enough to make me hold back a recommendation. Middle-grade, probably best for 6th grade or so.
Issues of identity will resonate with nearly all middle-schoolers, particularly those of mixed ethnicities. Also deals with mental health, unemployment, and shifting social groups. I'm a little disappointed in things that were never addressed (
truestorydesu's review against another edition
3.0
The first of the books for my multicultural sources for youth course for my master's. An OK book, but the main character was a little grating - she's a bit of a spoiled brat. But then again she's also like, 12. Plus, as someone who received a good education via public schools, the general attitude in this story toward public schools struck me as a bit classist.
lindagreen's review against another edition
3.0
As many others mentioned, I thought this was a YA title (weird marketing there) but its actually from the perspective of a 6th grader which changes the tone considerably. At its basic premise, it is the story of a girl who is half Jewish and half Indian who is struggling to find her identity at a new school. Due to her father's job loss she is launched into the world of public schools which is a confusing thing for her. Tying together both a race issue and a religious issue is daunting in one character...sort of doubling up the issues for any single character to face. I think this caused a bit of a "scattered" approach to the plot which would be hard for younger audiences to follow. The YA group would have no problem following along but the average middle schooler might have difficult with the bouncing of one topic to another. The character is highly relateable to any students who have ever moved or had to face being the "new kid" and will likely appeal to many of them. I did feel the public school was portrayed in a horrible light (I live in the south and no one goes around asking "are you black or white?" at the lunch table so I found this antiquated) and this lack of balance will turn off many students who are in the public school...if a student can't relate to the scenes in a book they won't want to read it and this is a prime example of that. A sideline plot involves the father's drop into depression and how that affects the family. Again, this could have been a book of its own and adding yet another thread to the pot didn't help the flow, pacing or focus of the book any. Overall, a good recommendation for those facing the "new kid in school" but otherwise probably not relateable enough for the average reader.
ARC Galley Proof
ARC Galley Proof
idontkaren's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a little while to warm up to this, but by the end I liked it pretty well. Related to the moments of confusion of being half of this and half of that. Best friend storyline reminded me of Emma (Jane Austen), and Judy Blume. Depiction of dad's scary decline into depression was good.
readerforlife's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is so charming, delightful, just every nice word ever. Sonia is such a sweet girl and her experience explains the social differences kids notice between race, culture, and class. Sonia's experiences tell the world as she sees it which makes a powerful book that doesn't talk down to kids but instead validates things they may have noticed. Sonia for instance notices that while she doesn't live in a fancy house like several of her peers she's gotten to travel to other countries and have cool experiences, which is a privilege. Reading this made me realize that I love books that explore the loss of innocence and how people respond to that. Sonia's first school puts her in a very guarded scenario, but moving to her new school requires something new of her. l also loved the mental illness rep with Sonia's father, especially because it is so rare in both middle-grade fiction and particularly of men of color. I think any kid or adult would love this book.
lior's review against another edition
5.0
J'ai vraiment vraiment aimé cette lecture !! Je sais que c'est plus à destination des ados mais franchement j'ai passé un très bon moment. Ca aborde vraiment plein de sujets intéressants, et y'avait des passages très émouvants. Je lirais volontiers une suite!
mrskatiefitz's review against another edition
3.0
At Community, her private school, Sonia Nadhamuni, who is both half Indian and half Jewish, feels accepted by her peers, and never questions her identity. When her dad loses his job, however, Sonia must leave the safety of her beloved school and enroll at the public school, where suddenly everything is unfamiliar and no one understands her cultural identity. As she struggles to find her place among popular girls and cheerleaders, she must also face her father’s fragility as he falls into a deep depression and goes missing.
Though the writing in this book is very good, stylistically speaking, the story’s main message contradicts itself in one very significant way. In its attempts to dispel certain stereotypes about race and religion, it actually perpetuates other misconceptions, mainly about public schools and the ability of kids to accept their peers’ cultural beliefs and practices. The story comes down very heavily on public schools, and portrays Sonia’s particular school as a place filled with self-centered, racist, spoiled brats who don’t know the difference between American Indians and Indians, and who can’t be bothered to learn how to pronounce her last name. In the public school, only cheerleaders can be popular, and to fit in, girls are expected to play spin the bottle and kiss boys, whether they want to or not. By contrast, Sonia’s old school is presented as a utopian bubble. Everyone at Community knows how to say Sonia’s name, and no one has ever questioned her about her skin tone, religious practices, or any other aspect of her identity. Neither school comes across as authentic, and I think most kids, regardless of which type of school they attend, would recognize that fact and maybe even find it offensive.
Sonia is a believable character, however. Her struggle to accept her parents’ differing backgrounds and her own assimilation of their two cultures is interesting and relevant. Her challenges in dealing with her dad’s depression are also handled nicely, and in a way that explores the issue without sounding like an after school special. I did wonder how the two main storylines - Sonia’s acceptance of her identity, and her dad’s depression - were meant to fit together, but even without figuring out the connection, I was still invested in both.
This book is a welcome addition to the growing list of middle grade realistic fiction novels about girls of color, but it could have done a better job addressing the issues of race and culture without completely vilifying Sonia’s peers, or relying on tired, predictable stereotypes about middle school life.
Other books with similar themes include: Schooled by Gordon Korman, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, and The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Chang. For a more lighthearted celebration of Indian culture, also check out The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami.
Though the writing in this book is very good, stylistically speaking, the story’s main message contradicts itself in one very significant way. In its attempts to dispel certain stereotypes about race and religion, it actually perpetuates other misconceptions, mainly about public schools and the ability of kids to accept their peers’ cultural beliefs and practices. The story comes down very heavily on public schools, and portrays Sonia’s particular school as a place filled with self-centered, racist, spoiled brats who don’t know the difference between American Indians and Indians, and who can’t be bothered to learn how to pronounce her last name. In the public school, only cheerleaders can be popular, and to fit in, girls are expected to play spin the bottle and kiss boys, whether they want to or not. By contrast, Sonia’s old school is presented as a utopian bubble. Everyone at Community knows how to say Sonia’s name, and no one has ever questioned her about her skin tone, religious practices, or any other aspect of her identity. Neither school comes across as authentic, and I think most kids, regardless of which type of school they attend, would recognize that fact and maybe even find it offensive.
Sonia is a believable character, however. Her struggle to accept her parents’ differing backgrounds and her own assimilation of their two cultures is interesting and relevant. Her challenges in dealing with her dad’s depression are also handled nicely, and in a way that explores the issue without sounding like an after school special. I did wonder how the two main storylines - Sonia’s acceptance of her identity, and her dad’s depression - were meant to fit together, but even without figuring out the connection, I was still invested in both.
This book is a welcome addition to the growing list of middle grade realistic fiction novels about girls of color, but it could have done a better job addressing the issues of race and culture without completely vilifying Sonia’s peers, or relying on tired, predictable stereotypes about middle school life.
Other books with similar themes include: Schooled by Gordon Korman, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, and The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Chang. For a more lighthearted celebration of Indian culture, also check out The Grand Plan to Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami.