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| Book #21 of 2009 |
| Title: I Wanna Be Your Shoebox |
| Author: Cristina Garcia |
| Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing |
| Pub Date: July 29, 2008 |
| Grade: B |
| Comments: Book Eval Review: I Wanna Be Your Shoebox is a quiet middle grade novel about a girl navigating her identity and family issues. Born to a Cuban mom and a half-Japanese, half-Jewish Dad, who divorced soon after he first birthday, Yumi is devastated when she learns her grandfather Saul is dying of cancer. She asks him to tell her his life story, which is recounted throughout the novel in italicized sections. There is little in the way of plot aside form Yumi’s successful plan to save her school’s orchestra by holding an orchestral punk rock concert as a fundraiser. Subplots involved Mom’s new boyfriend, a potential move to Napa from Los Angeles, a trip to Guatamala to pick up an adopted cousin and a friend who has more than friendly feelings for Yumi are less sucessful in driving the story but contain a lot of lovely character moments for Yumi and her family and friends. This is not an essential purchase but some fifth or sixth grade girls will take a liking to offbeat Yumi and company. Public libraries may want Garcia’s more successful Dreaming in Cuban for their adult departments instead. |
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