Abuela, Don't Forget Me by Rex Ogle - OPTIONAL

Abuela, Don't Forget Me by Rex Ogle, 208 pages. MEMOIR Norton YR. 2022. $19. 

Language: R (0 swears, 3 F); Mature Content: PG13 (teen drug use, kissing); Violence: PG13 (Child abuse - physical, Suicidal thoughts, fighting) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Rex Ogle's mother was physically and emotionally abusive, so he relied a lot on his grandmother. His mother and stepfather were constantly moving the family from one place to another, Rex made few friends, and his only long-term friend lived near Abuela. While he loved her dearly, as a boy he was sometimes embarrassed when his peers would tease him because she had an accent and because he didn't call her grandma. However, her emotional and financial support gave him opportunities he could have never received otherwise. 

 Rex Ogle's Memoir in verse is a tribute to his grandmother, who was a constant safety net, a number he could call, a place he could live. While Free Lunch was middle grade, the content and age range (from age 4 through graduating from high school) of Abuela Don't Forget Me is more appropriate for a High School audience. Rex's grandmother is Mexican 

Lisa Librarian