Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I was thrilled when my friend Andrea picked Other Words for Home for book club; I already had it checked out, it being a Newbery, and remember how space is at a premium at the moment? I started out reading it the old-fashioned way, but when Britt told me how fabulous the narrator of the audiobook was, I ended up listening to it and then speed reading the text as a bonus.

It was SO GOOD.

Seriously. There are not enough books out there detailing the Middle Eastern-American experience, and this one was beautiful and poignant and thought-provoking and funny and–all the things. Jude’s point of view both taught me and enchanted me. Her positivity and understanding–even for her American cousin that ought to be kinder–make her a lovely role model, and her perspective on her headscarf gave me something new to think about. Readers will cheer for her as she becomes American, even as she remains Syrian and is always and forever herself. We should all read this book. (To that end, I’m not giving my two older girlies a choice in the matter, and I’m expecting both of them to enjoy the experience.)

Don’t miss this one, folks. It’s beautiful and fabulous and important.