Somewhere Among

Description

A beautiful and haunting debut novel in verse about an American-Japanese girl struggling with the loneliness of being caught between two worlds when the tragedy of 9/11 strikes an ocean away.Eleven-year-old Ema has always been of two worlds her fathers Japanese heritage and her mothers life in America. Shes spent summers in California for as long as she can remember, but this year she and her mother are staying with her grandparents in Japan as they await the arrival of Emas baby sibling. Her mothers pregnancy has been tricky, putting everyone on edge, but Emas heart is singing finally, there will be someone else who will understand what its like to belong and not belong at the same time.But Emas good spirits are muffled by her grandmother who is cold, tightfisted, and quick to reprimand her for the slightest infraction. Then, when their stay is extended and Ema must go to a new school, her worries of not belonging grow. And when the tragedy of 9/11 strikes, Ema, her parents, and the world watch as the twin towers fall As Ema watches her mother grieve for her country across the ocean threatening the safety of her pregnancy and her beloved grandfather falls ill, she feels more helpless and hopeless than ever. And yet, surrounded by tragedy, Ema sees for the first time the tender side of her grandmother, and the reason for the penny-pinching and sternness make sense her grandmother has been preparing so they could all survive the worst.Dipping and soaring, Somewhere Among is the story of one girls search for identity, inner peace, and how she discovers that hope can indeed rise from the ashes of disaster.

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