Winnerofthe2018PuraBelpreAward!
“Abookforanyonemendingfromchildhoodwounds.”—SandraCisneros,authorofTheHouseonMangoStreet
Inthisunforgettablemulticulturalcoming-of-agenarrative—basedontheauthor’schildhoodinthe1960s—ayoungCuban-JewishimmigrantgirlisadjustingtohernewlifeinNewYorkCitywhenherAmericandreamissuddenlyderailed.Ruthie’splightwillintriguereaders,andherpowerfulstoryofstrengthandresilience,fullofcolor,light,andpoignancy,willstaywiththemforalongtime.
RuthieMizrahiandherfamilyrecentlyemigratedfromCastro’sCubatoNewYorkCity.Justwhenshe’sfinallybeginningtogainconfidenceinhermasteryofEnglish—andenjoyingherreignasherneighborhood’shopscotchqueen—ahorrificcaraccidentleavesherinabodycastandconfinedhertoherbedforalongrecovery.AsRuthie’sworldshrinksbecauseofherinabilitytomove,herpowersofobservationandherheartgrowlargerandshecomestounderstandhowfragilelifeis,howvulnerableweallareashumanbeings,andhowfriends,neighbors,andthepoweroftheartscansweeteneventheworstoftimes.
