Mi corazón

How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian

Isabella Crawford leads a double life. At home she is the daughter of her white father, a Marine killed in action and her Puerto Rican mother, who ekes out a living as a nurse's aide, moving her family from place to place.
Now the family resides in Virginia where Izzy has received a scholarship to attend a prestigious Catholic high school and sing with the school's premier vocal group. She has her father’s green eyes and can "pass" at school, borrowing clothing from her best friend to supplement her meager wardrobe. She informs classmates that her mother is a nurse.

"I’ve been hiding for a long time. Behind my school uniforms, behind my complicated car pool plans, my borrowed clothes, all the stories I made up in every new town we called home."

Isabella's life undergoes a dramatic shift when her family is selected receive a brand new Habitat for Humanity home. The house will be built in an affluent section of town. Izzy befriends Aubrey, a transfer student who lives near the Crawford’s new home. To further complicate matters, Aubrey's good-looking brother and co-captain of the local school’s basketball team is attracted to Izzy. It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain her elite-private-school-student facade.

​"I felt shame for all the times I pretended to be something I wasn’t. Letting people think I was something I wasn’t."

My heart ached for Izzy as she struggled to care for her younger brother, complete assignments by pirating Will-Fi access, mend an broken relationship with members of her father’s extended family, and forgive her best friend. Maria Padian, daughter of an Irish father and Puerto Rican mother, has experienced many of the identity issues that Izzy faces.

"Growing up sometimes felt like having a guest pass to a club I couldn't join." 

Poverty is not pretty. It is fraught with the constant need to figure out how to survive, who to trust, and how to protect those you love. ​
​ Padian paints a realistic picture of this bicultural, biracial teen. It is easy to empathize with Izzy. She makes mistakes, misjudges. She also takes risks. The narrative is punctuated with Spanish phrases succinctly conveying ideas and emotions in a manner that the English language cannot.
​How to Build a Heart: a story overflowing with a generous quantity of heart.  ​"Oh, mija. Te quiero."

When You Don't Fit In

Trying to "fit in" isn't easy. Cultural, racial, and socioeconomic differences can make school tough for young teens. These excellent books explore some of those difficulties.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

​Pub date: January 28, 2020  Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers  ISBN: 978-1616208493