Michelle Kadarusman

"…because people expect that a girl would choose her beauty over anything else. But maybe one day you will write your own version of the story about a girl who overcomes her hardships instead."

I love how Nia is not perfect but she’s strong, feisty, and determined. She’s relatable and inspiring, and I find myself rooting for her as she faces various challenges. I think important themes such as poverty, education, family, loss, empowerment, self-acceptance, and friendship are explored so well in this book.

Built into the layered story are mesmerizing Javanese folktales, traditions, and customs. Kadarusman's prose is lyrical, painting a vivid picture of Nia's world and her internal struggles. The story is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

"She couldn’t take away the ache of hunger or the hurt of harsh words, but she could give comfort through the magic of stories."

This was a fast-paced Middle-Grade novel that I truly enjoyed despite the difficult themes.… (altro)

Wow, this is so profoundly not a book from an American perspective, and it astonishes me how much that struck me while reading it -- the message of considering the consequences to those around you, of choosing how to compromise (or not) to keep your integrity without damaging others, of profound and meaningful apology, of putting others first and planning ways to protect those who cannot fight for themselves -- it shames me that these are things I don't recognize in most of the reading I do.

That's kind of a sidebar, but an important one. The book is good. The alternating viewpoints work really well for the most part. although the ones from Ginger Juice's perspective didn't resonate as well for me, I think kids will find them powerful. Loved the message of environmental activism. Loved learning about Indonesian culture. Appreciate that the author is drawing on her own experiences. Loved the gradations of experience, especially regarding religion, and the ways that people respect each other. It doesn't pull any punches when talking about military power and government power that impinges on people's rights, but also leaves a lot of space for the complexity of human emotion. Really loved Ari's story, and how he is inspired by chess to change the things that cause him pain. There are lots of great messages in the book.

Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.… (altro)