Inspired by true events that occurred in Maine in 2002, this powerful, lyrical novel explores immigration in contemporary America, narrated by a 13-year-old girl from Kosovo. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Gr 6-8 In poetic free verse, a 13-year-old narrator describes her life in America after having been horribly burned during the war in Kosova. While she still carries the scars, she has assimilated into American culture much more than her parents. This book offers a brief glimpse into the lives of refugees from the Kosovar War. However, the poetic form limits the plot and character development, leaving readers with many more questions than answers about what happened to these remarkable people. When an act of racism inspires the entire town to stand up against prejudice, readers will cheer for the ideal, but not for the individuals, who never appeared to have been affected by it. This topic, inspired by actual events in Maine, needs a more detailed narrative and fully fleshed out characters to be truly compelling. Libraries with a need for stories about war refugees may want to consider this title as an additional purchase. Sonja Cole, Briarcliff Middle School, Mountain Lakes, NJ Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 6-9. The author of Becoming Joe DiMaggio (2001) and Almost Forever (2003) once again uses spare verse to tell a poignant story about a child touched by war. Burn scars, sustained in Kosovo during the most recent war, cover most of the narrator's body: I look like / where I'm from, she says. Even so, the eighth-grader feels like a typical American schoolgirl. Her parents are more at odds with life in the U.S., and the girl speaks powerfully about the heartbreaking choices her parents have faced. But after the girl's father organizes a protest against a hate group in a neighboring town, the family is heartened by the public's response and support. Testa's distilled poetry never seems forced, and her stirring words enhance a sense of the characters' experiences and emotions, particularly those of a young person caught between cultures: I have two languages / in my head / and no accent / on my lips. Based on an actual incident, this is an excellent choice for readers' theater and classroom discussion. GillianEngberg. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.