Us, in Pieces
You know when a book just gets you? Like voice in your head, how-could-anyone-other-than-me-even-write-this, gets you? Well if you are (or were) a chubby light skinned Mexican girl trying to deal with family/school/friend drama, stop what you’re doing and read this book. And if you aren’t (or weren’t), still stop what you’re doing and read this book.
Gabi is a girl; a gordita; a guera (not really, she’s just often confused as one since she looks white). These words are used to describe pieces of Gabi but can’t come close to capturing the whole. Gabi’s senior year is supposed to be a piece of cake (minus Algebra, yikes). Her two best friends, Cindy and Sebastian, share her dream of going to UC Berkley and it is so close; only 8 months away. But nothing is ever as easy as we hope, right? Not when your dad is an addict and your mom reminds you daily of how you should act and look and be. And definitely not when your closest friends are dealing with coming out to their unsupportive parents and single motherhood. It’s exhausting just writing this, can you imagine living it?
Thank goodness Gabi is hilarious. She’s also smart and sassy and independent and we get to watch her deal with these issues and many, many more through her equally funny and sassy diary. Part of Gabi’s story is her discovery of poetry as a transformative and healing force. Seeing her work through body image issues, death, anger and love all by writing and performing her poetry is one of my favorite things about this book. My other favorite things are: everything else.
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces is Isabel Quintero’s first book and is one of those Young Adult (teen) books that demands to be read whether you’re 13 or 30. Check it out of one of our many Milwaukee Public Library locations by clicking here. Happy reading!