Look Both Ways In The Barrio Blanco by Judith Robbins Rose

Expected Release Date: 8, September, 2015

Pages: 352

Genre: Middle Grade

Publisher: Candlewick Press

ISBN: 0763672351 

Source: Netgalley

Rate: 4/5

SYNOPSIS

With humor and sensitivity, a debut novelist explores the coming of age of a girl caught between two cultures as she finds the courage to forge a new destiny.

"Miss, will you be my Amiga?" Amiga means "friend" in Spanish, but at the youth center, it meant a lady to take you places. I never asked myself if two people as different as Miss and me could ever really be amigas. 

When Jacinta Juarez is paired with a rich, famous mentor, she is swept away from the diapers and dishes of her own daily life into a world of new experiences. But crossing la linea into Miss’s world is scary. Half of Jacinta aches for the comfort of Mamá and the familiar safety of the barrio, while the other half longs to embrace a future that offers more than cleaning stuff for white people. When her family is torn apart, Jacinta needs to bring the two halves of herself together to win back everything she's lost. Can she channel the power she’s gained from her mentor and the strength she’s inherited from Mamá to save her shattered home life?

REVIEW

Jacinta has always lived a poor miserable life. She lives with her father, mother, and her sisters in a small house. But then everything changes, Miss comes in her life, her mama is stuck with Abuleta as Abuleta is sick, and her dad gets two jobs. She is not sure if she can be the girl Miss wants her to be, a confident and strong girl.

I was very happy after reading the book. This story felt really realistic. Jacinta has always wanted a mentor, so she can have fun and show off just like Angelica does. But then Miss becomes her mentor, and she starts changing into a girl, she never knew was inside her. Jacinta's life is very sad. We should be thankful for what we have, that's what I learnt after reading about Jacinta's miserable life. Jacinta gets very fascinated when she discovers the 'real world' that is outside her small town.
The more you read, the more you feel for Jacinta. Jacinta was a really nice character. We see her strong side, when her mama was in trouble, and her papi was in jail. She goes with Miss and his son Ethan to help her mother, which is quite a bold act, as she is just twelve. This story is filled with emotions. This book is perfect for children from 9-11!

Happy Reading! <3