Other words for home – Jasmine Warga (review)

Title: Other words for home.

Author: Jasmine Warga.

Format: Audiobook.

Publisher: Balzer + Bray.

Page count: 332.

Release day: May 7th 2019.

Genre: Middle grade, poetry.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

What is it about? (Summary from GoodReads)

I am learning how to be
sad
and happy
at the same time.

Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives.

At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US—and her new label of “Middle Eastern,” an identity she’s never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises—there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.

My thoughts:

This book was amazing! It was such a beautiful and important story! Everyone should read this, even people outside of the ‘appropriate’ age range!

This book is written in verse, which is something I do not reach towards normally. But I wanted to read this because of the GoodReads Choice Awards, but also because I had heard some amazing things!

It was very interesting to follow Jude o her move from Syria to America. And to see how she experienced islamophobia. Which of course she shouldn’t have to deal with. To me it was interesting to see that islamophobia is already so big at her age, I wasn’t aware of that. Children in her class are so influenced by what they hear from people around them, and they express that towards other children. And that really shouldn’t happen. I think it is really good that this book gave me that perspective!

Jude moved to America together with her mom and unborn sibling. It is almost heart breaking to see her worries about her family and friends back in Syria. She shouldn’t even have to think about things like that.

I’m not really sure how to review this book, it is beautiful and important! I took half a star, since I’m not a huge fan of the in verse writing , even though it was beautiful!