Jasmine Warga

“I cover my head not because I am ashamed, forced, or hiding. But because I am proud and want to seen as I am.”

This book is a great example of why I love YA lit as well as novels written in verse!

Other Words for Home is a story told in six parts, as we see the character move through the spectrum of Changing, Arriving, Staying, Hoping, Growing, and Living. Jude is a 7th grader who has recently immigrated from Syria to America with her mother, and it's both heartbreaking and eye-opening show more seeing the world from her perspective. Seeing how she feels about the father and brother she's left behind, how she feels about her American family she is meeting for the first time, and how she feels about struggling to find her identity as a young women but also as a Muslim living in America. Jude's story made me feel the full range of emotions - from joy to hurt to anger to peace - and I loved every page of it.

The writing is easy to read and imagine what's happening, but in its simplicity hides deep complexity and significant insight. Many of Jude's brief observations about people and the world around her gave me pause as I considered the powerful truths contained therein. These nuggets of wisdom are scattered throughout a story that is compelling and engaging. I also appreciate that the author blends in a mix of Arabic words, phrases, and proverbs, and I also appreciate the glossary at the back of the book to help me understand said words.

Though it's ostensibly geared towards a younger audience, Other Words for Home is absolutely a book worth diving into for readers of all ages! show less

this was amazing. i loved just about everything about it (except how it sure seemed like rania died, maybe of cancer, and it kind of doesn't make sense to have had that emotional manipulation for what really feels like no reason.) and how full of emotion this is, even when it's about science and it's from a robot's perspective. attaching thoughts and feelings to the rovers, and seeing how they operated was just so great. the letters from the young sophie round out the whole story in a show more perfect way. it's so smart and so well done and beeps and boops i just loved it so much. show less

Jude and her mother flee war-torn Syria, leaving behind her father and brother, and settle into life in America with her uncle’s family. As Jude adjusts to her new life, she finds many people who welcome her but some who prefer to hold on to misconceptions about Muslim’s, especially those like Jude who wear a hijab.

Author Jasmine Warga does a great job at balancing the innocence of a girl coming of age, while dealing with the realities of both the Syrian conflict and of what it means to show more be Muslim in America. She gives voice to Syrian refugee children, showing them proudly celebrating their culture while at the same time shedding light on all the hardships they have endured. The book includes links for students to find out more about the Syrian conflict, child refugees, and organizations like the White Helmets who are helping with recovery efforts. Other Words for Home is a great story to build empathy and understanding of newcomers, and hopefully reduce hate and fear. show less

Cora Hamed's older sister Mabel was killed in a school shooting; Quinn McCauley's older brother was the shooter. Cora and Quinn are neighbors and used to be best friends, but not anymore; they haven't spoken in almost a year. As a new school year begin and the anniversary of the shooting approaches - November 11 - Quinn leaves a box for Cora for her birthday. Inside is the research Quinn has begun into time travel. Is it possible for the two girls to go back in time and fix things? They are show more going to find out.

Cora is Lebanese-American and "technically Muslim" but not especially religious; she lives with her scientist dad and her maternal grandmother. Quinn is white, with red hair, and lives with her parents, who fight a lot since Parker's death. Chapters are narrated in first person, alternating from Cora's and Quinn's perspectives; Quinn's chapters start with letters to her brother.

Each girl deals with her grief and guilt differently. Cora misses her sister, regrets that they argued on Mabel's last day, and goes to therapy weekly; Quinn feels that she is responsible for Parker's actions because she knew that he knew how to get into their dad's gun safe.

Back matter includes author's note, acknowledgments.

See also: The Someday Suitcase by Corey Ann Haydu, The Year We Fell From Space by A.S. King

Quotes

School used to be a place that was safe. A place where I learned things. But last year, I learned the worst thing: no place is really safe. (Cora, 5)

It's like the answer he had wasn't the one you were looking for. (Quinn to Parker, 37)

There should be a word for when you miss a person in the future. Not just missing memories of them, but missing memories you never got to have with them. (Cora, 43)

...I just like knowing things. The more things you know, the less likely you are to be taken by surprise. (Cora, 49)

"The love is even bigger than the missing."
...but sometimes the missing feels so big in my heart that I forget what the love even felt like. (Cora, 86)

It's not fair that other people get to decide how much of something I am. (Cora, 119)

"The thing I know about magic is that you have to look for it." (Quinn to Cora, 123)

"I think the answer [to time travel] lies in figuring out the shape of time. And the shape of time is probably like the shape of thunder. We think it's impossible to map, but that's because we haven't pushed our brains to think in that way." (Cora's dad remembering her mom's words, 213)

It's the worst thing when your memories turn into memories themselves. Becoming unreliable duplicates of the real thing. (Cora, 240)

"It just doesn't seem right that there's nothing we can do." (Cora to her dad, 250)

[Scientific theories] are imperfect and incomplete, but that doesn't stop them from being useful or worthwhile....Your feelings, and your feelings about your feelings, can evolve with you. And it's okay for them to do that. It actually could be said that it is scientific for them to do that." (Cora's dad, 252-253) show less