My Year in the Middle
- Subject
- People & Places - United States - Hispanic & Latino
- Age
- 6-8 years
- Format
- Trade Paperback
- Pages
- 288
- Publisher
- Candlewick Press (MA)
- Size
- 14.2 cm Ă 19.8 cm
- ISBN
- 9781536213171
Sixth-grader Lu Olivera just wants to keep her head down and get along with everyone in her class. The trouble is, Luâs old friends have been changing lately â acting boy crazy and making snide remarks about Luâs newfound talent for running track. Luâs secret hope for a new friend is fellow runner Belinda Gresham. But in 1970 in Red Grove, Alabama, blacks and whites donât mix. As segregationist ex-governor George Wallace ramps up his campaign against the current governor, Albert Brewer, growing tensions in the state â and in the classroom â mean that Lu canât stay neutral about the racial divide at school. Will she find the gumption to stand up for whatâs right and to choose friends who do the same?
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What reviewers said
Based on true events in Lila Quintero Weaver's own 1970s childhood as an Argentinian immigrant in a small Alabama town, My Year in the Middle is a moving story about finding one's center in the midst of overwhelming external pressure. Lu is believable as a girl who is afraid to "stick [her] neck out too far."...Any reader who has struggled to find a safe and happy place between polarities will appreciate Weaver's deep understanding of just how difficultâand rewardingâthis can be.
It's not always easy standing up for what is right, but sometimes, you just can't stay in the middle...Young readers will relate to Lu as she navigates friendships, first love, and politics, cheering her on to the finish line. An important and relevant story that will make kids stop and take a look at the world around them.
Readers will be immediately transported to early 1970s Alabama in this story about Lu Olivera, a sixth- grader who finds herself drawn ever more deeply into the civil rights movement and politics at her school...This story is inspired by the authorâs experiences, and it shows in introspective Luâs observations of people around her. An excellent read for any budding activist or history buff, as well as pretty much any kid who likes a story about kids finding their gumption.
Readers will root for this spirited protagonist to find her moral footing in this solid, enjoyable work of historical fiction.
Based on true events in Lila Quintero Weaver's own 1970s childhood as an Argentinian immigrant in a small Alabama town, My Year in the Middle is a moving story about finding one's center in the midst of overwhelming external pressure...Any reader who has struggled to find a safe and happy place between polarities will appreciate Weaver's deep understanding of just how difficultâand rewardingâthis can be.
Young first-generation immigrants will see themselves reflected in Lu when she translates for a Cuban neighbor, and again when she finds herself âin the middleâ and must either stand with her friends Belinda and Spider or side against them with her silence...A well-drawn depiction of an immigrant experience with a social justice lens. A solid addition for public and school libraries.
âA moving story about finding oneâs center in the midst of overwhelming external pressure.â
