The Whole Story of Half a Girl
Written by Veera Hiranandani
Published by Random House Children's Books
After her father loses his job, Sonia Nadhamuni, half Indian and half Jewish American, finds herself yanked out of private school and thrown into the unfamiliar world of public education. For the first time, Sonia’s mixed heritage makes her classmates ask questions—questions Sonia doesn’t always know how to answer—as she navigates between a group of popular girls who want her to try out for the cheerleading squad and other students who aren’t part of the “in” crowd.
At the same time that Sonia is trying to make new friends, she’s dealing with what it means to have an out-of-work parent—it’s hard for her family to adjust to their changed circumstances. And then, one day, Sonia’s father goes missing. Now Sonia wonders if she ever really knew him. As she begins to look for answers, she must decide what really matters and who her true friends are—and whether her two halves, no matter how different, can make her a whole.
Primary ISBN: 9780375871672
Available As: Paperback, eBook
Middle Grade, Age 09 or older
Community Represented: Indian/Indian American
Themes: Cross-Group Friendship, Discrimination: Racial, Family Relationship: Parents, Multiracial Identity, Own Voices/Lived Experience
Setting: United States
Character’s New Arrival/New American Status: Unknown Arrival
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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