Language: PG (8 swears); Mature Content: PG-13 ( teenage smoking, pregnancy, abortion, not explicit); Violence: PG-13 (domestic violence)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
11yo Allegra is growing up. She’ll be going to secondary school soon and life is getting more complicated. She is trying to make friends and get ready for her confirmation, but sometimes she feels like she is being pulled in three different directions by the people closest to her. Her grandmother, Matilde, has rules and calls her Allegra. Her grandmother, Joy, is carefree and calls her Ally. Her dad calls her Al Pal and she wonders why he doesn’t take care of her like a normal dad. All three of them love her dearly, but they don’t speak to each other unless absolutely necessary. The truth is Allegra has questions about a lot of things, mostly her mom, but no one will talk about her until a neighbor girl gets in trouble and they are forced to face the past.
While Allegra is young, this isn’t a middle school book. Mostly it will appeal to adults, although more mature, thoughtful students may also like it. The author touches on a variety of different topics, yet it neither seems overwhelming nor distractracting to the reader and they are introduced to show as Allegra gets older and more mature so does her world view. I enjoyed the story quite a bit and loved that there was great closure and a glimpse into Allegra’s future.
Reviewer: RB
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