Seema, a young girl living in India, enjoys her life, her
family and her friends. However,
when she discovers that her father has received a job in America, she realizes
that her life is going to change forever.
Her family is uprooted from their Indian home in order to move to Iowa
City, and she learns that she will face many trials as an immigrant in an
American middle school. Not only
do language barriers make it difficult for her to communicate, but her cultural
differences also separate her from fitting in with other students at
school. This book follows Seema’s
struggles moving from India to the United States and the development of her
identity as an adolescent and as an Indian-American.
This book covered many themes that could be teachable in a
middle school context. The
cultural differences between Seema’s life in India and America cause her a
great deal of hardship, and this could easily be discussed in a diverse
classroom where students in the class have moved. A large part of the story line discusses Seema’s friendship
with a girl from a much lower social class than her, and this would allow a
teacher to discuss cultural implications of social class differences and how
understanding can bridge the gap between the classes. Seema also faces a bully at school that makes it difficult
for her to enjoy her classes, which is another topic that can be discussed with
students. The book is riddled with
cultural knowledge about Indian culture, and even has a glossary of terms in
the back that explains the cultural terms used in the book. I think this story contains many
teachable themes for a middle school setting.
I think that this book would be very teachable in a middle
school setting. However, the book
was not a very difficult read so it would me more appropriate for younger
students in the middle school; it would me more appropriate for students in the
sixth grade rather than the eighth.
This book was an appropriate length for either classroom or individual
reading and was a relatively quick read.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and think that it would be great for a
younger audience.
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