Drita, My Homegirl

I had started this book thinking I'd buy it for my niece.It is a beautiful and relevant book which deals with what it means to be a human being. In light of the events of the last few weeks-- which happened to be when I read it-- it is relevant to the time in which we live.The section which struck me the most was when Maxie's grandmother walked into the Drita's apartment to find her mother literally physically and mentally in shambles on the floor. This was their first introduction and instead of questioning anything about the situation or causing further damage or dissonance Maxie's grandmother rolls up her sleeves and asks "How can I help?"This moved me to tears. These two families, so culturally different, moved forward with a solution together. To turn and walk away would have been devastating. Instead- she mended the situation for everyone by choosing to be proactive and calm.The book gives a prime example of the kind of thinking and positive action that all adults, children, and anyone interested in making a difference should be engaged in.

It was a quick read and offers different points of view as the chapters switch between the 2 main characters’ perspectives.

Excellent novel for 4th grade students to read and discuss. It's good for character study and the vocabulary is challenging. The students can relate with either girl, and start to see how each chapter builds upon the other. They will also be pleasantly surprised by the ending, and will be able to decipher the central theme of the novel.

I would recommend this book to my friends and my teacher. they would like it because it's about making new friends

good read

It was a great book .It was a very interesting book to read.The book was about a girl from Kosovo who traveled to New York and met this girl named Maxie and then eventually became friends.And how they did it I can't tell you!

This is a beautiful story for both children and adults. It is a sweet reminder that we should not judge people until we have walked in their shoes. You do not need to speak someone's language to learn about their heart.

I am an ESOL teacher. This a great book for any teacher who has students from other countries. It is written in first person from Drita's point of view and Maxie's point of view. Great book for 2nd or 3rd grade class. The book was in good shape. It arrived within 5 days.

Fantastic kids book, should have more Kosovar and Albanian books,especially for us of Kosovar descent. Our kids will learn the language more easy

This is one of the suggested reading books for the PATHs curriculum. It is a fairly decent book that discusses immigrants, ELL students, being friends with good people and a tiny bit on PTSD and living with an adult suffering from it. A good summary word would be experiencing loss. Definitely a good book to read to students as it lends itself to reflection.