jamyyc 's review for:

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

4.0

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This was a fantastic middle-grade novel! I loved Jude’s character—she had such a big heart and vivid imagination, and it was really sweet to see the world through her eyes. The author did a great job of painting Jude’s obstacles in a way that both showed her struggle and gave hope of a brighter future. I appreciated how the book didn’t feel the need to go into the darker details; although it did mean a lot of conflicts became simplified, I think this would be a good book for young readers who are looking for a more lighthearted reading experience that still has a lot of depth and intricacies. I really liked the supporting characters too, and the plot with the play gave the story some nice structure. I just wish the book had been longer, and that we’d gotten to see more of Jude’s life in America. Overall though, I would definitely recommend this book to middle-grade readers, as Jude’s experience of moving to a new home and trying to fit in is definitely universal.

Disclaimer: I listened to this book on audio, so I can’t really say much to the novel-in-verse format, but for what it’s worth, the writing flowed nicely and sounded very natural.