From Goodreads,"A beautiful and haunting debut novel in verse about an American-Japanese girl struggling with the loneliness of being caught between two worlds when the tragedy of 9/11 strikes an ocean away.
Eleven-year-old Ema has always been of two worlds—her father’s Japanese heritage and her mother’s life in America. She’s spent summers in California for as long as she can remember, but this year she and her mother are staying with her grandparents in Japan as they await the arrival of Ema’s baby sibling. Her mother’s pregnancy has been tricky, putting everyone on edge, but Ema’s heart is singing—finally, there will be someone else who will understand what it’s like to belong and not belong at the same time.
But Ema’s good spirits are muffled by her grandmother who is cold, tightfisted, and quick to reprimand her for the slightest infraction. Then, when their stay is extended and Ema must go to a new school, her worries of not belonging grow. And when the tragedy of 9/11 strikes, Ema, her parents, and the world watch as the twin towers fall…
As Ema watches her mother grieve for her country across the ocean—threatening the safety of her pregnancy—and her beloved grandfather falls ill, she feels more helpless and hopeless than ever. And yet, surrounded by tragedy, Ema sees for the first time the tender side of her grandmother, and the reason for the penny-pinching and sternness make sense—her grandmother has been preparing so they could all survive the worst.
Dipping and soaring, Somewhere Among is the story of one girl’s search for identity, inner peace, and how she discovers that hope can indeed rise from the ashes of disaster."
Goodreads - Somewhere Among
Awards and Nominations:
- Writers' League of Texas Manuscript Competition for Middle Grade (2013)
April is finally back! That means it is finally poetry month! This is one of my favorite months because poetry books are typically moving and full of emotion. This book is packed with emotional moments and moving poetry.
Somewhere Among is a moving story told by a young girl named Ema. She is stuck between being Japanese and American. She spends most of the year in Japan and goes to America in the summer. Ema must find herself and who she is, especially since she feels split between two countries.
This book has a big focus on Ema being "split" between being American and Japanese. Throughout the book, she is torn between the traditions and customs of each country. I think that people who are multicultural will find this book relatable. This book was really a journey of Ema finding who she was. Her grandmother in Japan was so set on her following Japanese rules and traditions, while Ema found herself enjoying the simple American ways. Ema truly had to find a balance in her life and her cultures. I think many people have to find a balance similar to this in life. It could be a cultural balance or it could be a balance between your family and a significant other's family. I know that my boyfriend and I are both from the US but from different states. There are things that he does that blow my mind and things that I do that he disapproves of. This is a cultural difference that we experience and have to balance when we spend time with each other's family. Everything in life is about balance and this book was an example of that between two very different cultures.
While the balance was an important aspect in this book, I didn't feel a real connection with any of the characters. Ema's parents were very flat characters who weren't in the book much. Ema was telling the story and was busy trying to balance everything with her cultures, school, and staying out of trouble with her grandmother. Ema's grandparents were very involved in my opinion, but they didn't really have a voice. They were very flat characters. This was very disappointing because I feel like it took away from the book. If the characters had had more depth and dimension they would have been more relatable and would have added a special touch to the book.
Overall, this book was just okay. I loved the balance of life aspect but found the characters dull and flat. I recommend this to people who are needing a glimpse into the life of a child who is "split" between two places. This also has quite a bit of Japanese culture and language in it. I give this 2 stars.
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