Review and Student Review: "Other Words for Home," by Jasmine Warga

Jasmine Warga's novel in verse was a decent audiobook. I enjoyed hearing the words that I wouldn't have known how to pronounce otherwise. I honestly didn't even realize it is written as a novel in verse until I saw the book in person! Jude and her mom are forced to leave their home in Syria in order to escape the violence. Jude's dad and brother stay behind. She and her pregnant mother travel to middle America and stay with her mother's brother and his wife and daughter. Jude goes to an American school and gets to practice the English she'd learned from American movies. She dreams of being a famous actress herself, so she's eager to try out for the school play. This novel gives hope to girls from the Middle East who may be called names or told to "go home" by angry ignorant people. Jude is a girl who isn't afraid to have hope for her life and hope for her culture and stand up for herself in the face of those ignorant people.

Mrs. Denney's Rating: ***

Jude had to move from Syria with her mother to New York to live with aunt, uncle, and cousin. She learns to speak better English and gets to play the part of Plummet in the Beauty and the Beast. Jude makes friends and her mom who gives birth to a baby girl. She learns to like America, though she worried about her brother, who was lost in war zone back home. I liked this book and would read it again.

Review by Elliana G.

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