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rachelannak's review
5.0
This is another book I wish was around when I was growing up. Ruthie is an amazing young lady and the fire inside of her is so important for girls to read about and emulate.
mwbuell's review
4.0
A heartwarming story about a girl from Cuba who gets into a car accident and breaks her leg badly. While she is in bed for about a year, a diverse community comes to her aid and helps her to heal.
latinabibliophile's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
maethereader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Grief, and Car accident
amalies's review
5.0
This book was so full of emotion, heartache, and hope. A young 10 year old Cuban refugee lives through a car accident in NY city that leaves her in a body cast for an entire year. This story deals with the trauma of this incident, the maturity of the young girl through the process of healing, her grief, her friends and families help, her inner turmoil and how she comes through this incident. This story is part true of the accident that happened to the author in her childhood with some of the names in the story being true names, and some moments that are fiction and things that she would have liked to have happened in her trauma. It is a short 4-5 hour read. I am excited to read this with my daughter who could learn from seeing this girls internal struggles and learn how to become compassionate.
hootreads's review
emotional
fast-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
3.5
katieproctorbooks's review
3.0
I really loved the story—thought the emotional depth in the writing could’ve been more. I do love that it was based on the author’s true experience.
hidingzeus's review
2.0
This feels like one of those books that adults really love and kids don't. It doesn't feel as though it is a story written for the enjoyment or edification of kids. It was fine. Didn't rock my world. I don't think I would have finished it if it weren't for the fact that I read it for OBOB.
mindfullibrarian's review
4.0
This middle grade #ownvoices novel about a Cuban-Jewish immigrant in the 1950s is a poignant story of fitting in and recovery. Ruthie Mizrahi is based on the author as a child, and the emotions of the real-life trauma are unmistakable in the story. This is a powerful tale and readers will feel all of Ruthie's pain, sorrow, and joy as she works her way through the year - from accident to body cast to bed-ridden to discovering art and finally recovery. Her friends and neighborhood are a depiction of the melting pot that America truly is, and it is a delight to have this authentic and culturally diverse book to add to middle grade shelves. Recommend for all elementary and middle school libraries.
*my one and only objection to anything in this book is a small one, but worthy of mention from a current school librarian and former special education teacher. Ruthie mentions and objects numerous times during the book to being placed in the "dumb" class in school because of her beginning English skills. While I understand this was the term used at the time in the 1950s, I do cringe a bit thinking of this word being used during a read-aloud of this book in schools, or having students encounter this word and depiction of special education while reading independently. If I were reading this to students, I would either 1) discuss how "dumb" was used during that time period, but now we all know that that is not what special education classes are, or 2) replace the word during read-alouds. In my mind, this is worth mentioning to students during booktalks and such.
I received a digital ARC of this title for review - all opinions are my own.
*my one and only objection to anything in this book is a small one, but worthy of mention from a current school librarian and former special education teacher. Ruthie mentions and objects numerous times during the book to being placed in the "dumb" class in school because of her beginning English skills. While I understand this was the term used at the time in the 1950s, I do cringe a bit thinking of this word being used during a read-aloud of this book in schools, or having students encounter this word and depiction of special education while reading independently. If I were reading this to students, I would either 1) discuss how "dumb" was used during that time period, but now we all know that that is not what special education classes are, or 2) replace the word during read-alouds. In my mind, this is worth mentioning to students during booktalks and such.
I received a digital ARC of this title for review - all opinions are my own.
pandacat42's review
4.0
***I received an ARC from Edelweiss for an honest review***
After an accident, Ruthie must wear a cast for a time and learn walk again. Kind of a heartbreaking read. It is a little autobiographical and at times a little hard. The father figure seems a bit scary at times. Is he violent? Or does he just seem violent? Anyway, there are some very honest and touching moments in this story. Not for the faint of heart.
Consider that this is a somewhat difficult book. Dad is a little scary, MC is very suddenly forced an enema (she needed one to have a BM), a lot of stressful/sad things happen in this story
After an accident, Ruthie must wear a cast for a time and learn walk again. Kind of a heartbreaking read. It is a little autobiographical and at times a little hard. The father figure seems a bit scary at times. Is he violent? Or does he just seem violent? Anyway, there are some very honest and touching moments in this story. Not for the faint of heart.
Consider that this is a somewhat difficult book. Dad is a little scary, MC is very suddenly forced an enema (she needed one to have a BM), a lot of stressful/sad things happen in this story