Gabi: A Girl in Pieces

Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi: A girl in pieces. TX: Cinco Puntos

Written in diary entry form, sprinkled with poetry, Gabi Hernandez tells about her secrets, her cravings, her loves, family, friends, and all the happenings of senior year.  There's Gabi's mom who is always telling her she needs to lose weight and confiscating her sweet and salty treats; her dad who is a meth addict and ends up dying; her younger brother who has a knack for graffiti and reminds her of their dad; her best friend Cindy who gets pregnant after being forced to have sex; her other best friend Sebastian who is gay; the boys she crushes on and the one she ends up falling in love with; college acceptance letters (she gets accepted to Berkeley) and of course her lifechaning poetry class.

This realistic fiction book (and poetry) captures the reader by it's blunt truths and real openness.  Teen girls, especially Mexican-American teens, will relate on so many levels with Gabi.  One of the best parts of the book, in my opinion, are the Zines.  What an awesome form of poetry!  This book has terrific voice as well.  The characters are so real, without being stereotypical.  The consistency of the characters, as well as their believability, make this a book for anyone to relate to! Themes found in this book include staying true to yourself, pushing past adversity, and friendship.  Readers who enjoy this book would probably enjoy The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.