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A review by janine1122
Don't Ask Me Where I'm from by Jennifer De Leon
3.0
3.5 stars.
While I might not have been blown away by this book, I did really enjoy it. I think it's an important book, for a lot of different reasons.
The main character, Liliana, gets accepted into METCO - a program that provides underprivileged minority students the opportunity to attend a suburban school with more opportunities. Her parents had put her on the wait list for the program, without her knowing, and she suddenly finds herself leaving her school and friends in Boston to be bussed an hour away to suburban Westburg. Here Liliana finds herself one of few other minority students in a wealthy white community - and most of those other minority students are also part of the METCO program. She suddenly finds herself navigating a completely new and overwhelming environment.
Liliana is a great protagonist for a lot of reasons - her description of the differences between her neighborhood and school at home, compared to her new school environment highlight just how much the white middle class takes for granted. Her fresh eyes forced me to look at my own life and upbringing in a different way. I also loved the way that early on it was made clear that Liliana had some passionate artistic interests - namely writing and building miniatures out of cardboard. It's great to see how she grows, in particular as a writer, in the story.
There were times that I felt that some interactions between Lili and people at her new school felt over the top - but then I thought of stories that my cousin, who teaches in a wealthy suburban area, has told about her own experiences in the classroom, and I realized that, once again, my initial reaction was likely my own privilege showing.
Parts of this book were infuriating and hard to swallow, but were also necessary and true. There were also a lot of uplifting, affirming moments. And I really appreciated watching Lili struggle to find where and how she fits in this new environment she finds herself in, torn between what she's always known and where she is now. Definitely a worthwhile read.
While I might not have been blown away by this book, I did really enjoy it. I think it's an important book, for a lot of different reasons.
The main character, Liliana, gets accepted into METCO - a program that provides underprivileged minority students the opportunity to attend a suburban school with more opportunities. Her parents had put her on the wait list for the program, without her knowing, and she suddenly finds herself leaving her school and friends in Boston to be bussed an hour away to suburban Westburg. Here Liliana finds herself one of few other minority students in a wealthy white community - and most of those other minority students are also part of the METCO program. She suddenly finds herself navigating a completely new and overwhelming environment.
Liliana is a great protagonist for a lot of reasons - her description of the differences between her neighborhood and school at home, compared to her new school environment highlight just how much the white middle class takes for granted. Her fresh eyes forced me to look at my own life and upbringing in a different way. I also loved the way that early on it was made clear that Liliana had some passionate artistic interests - namely writing and building miniatures out of cardboard. It's great to see how she grows, in particular as a writer, in the story.
There were times that I felt that some interactions between Lili and people at her new school felt over the top - but then I thought of stories that my cousin, who teaches in a wealthy suburban area, has told about her own experiences in the classroom, and I realized that, once again, my initial reaction was likely my own privilege showing.
Parts of this book were infuriating and hard to swallow, but were also necessary and true. There were also a lot of uplifting, affirming moments. And I really appreciated watching Lili struggle to find where and how she fits in this new environment she finds herself in, torn between what she's always known and where she is now. Definitely a worthwhile read.