The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani is a historical fiction book. The story takes place in 1947.
India has just freed itself from British rule and the country has been split into two countries, India
and Pakistan. The Hindu went to India and the Muslim went to Pakistan. Nisha and her twin
brother are half-Muslim and half-Hindu. Their Papa decides they must become refugees
because they are no longer safe in Pakistan. Nisha lost her mother as a baby, and now as she
The Joy Luck Club follows the story of four Chinese immigrant mothers and their daughters. Tan does an excellent job in portraying an immigrant mother and her first generation daughter relationship. She also does a great job in representing generational and cultural differences as these mothers move to America, and their daughters learn to assimilate. Each chapter talks about a different person, their story, and what they have learned from it.
Crying in H Mart is a powerful memoir detailing the author’s unique life experiences. The title comes from Zauner’s memories of crying in the aisles of the Asian grocery store, remembering the dishes her mom used to make. She describes her childhood and her teenage years as a Korean-American, caring for her cancer-stricken mother, and even provides some insights as to the beginnings of her music career.
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert is an interesting take on dark fairy tales, but also what the definition of family is. Alice, the granddaughter of famous author Althea Proserpine, has had trouble her whole life. Alice and her mother, Ella, have been moving around their entire lives due to strange people following them or Ella’s failed relationships, and not to mention the fact that Alice was kidnapped by an oddly familiar man when she was a young child.
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan is a coming-of-age story that follows teenager Leigh Chen Sanders as she deals with the aftermath of her mother’s suicide. Shortly after her mother’s death, Leigh believes that she has been visited by her mother- in the form of a bird. She is convinced that she will be able to see her once again if she journeys to Taiwan to meet her grandparents.
Cara Jean has always dealt with her bad health. Doctors can’t figure out what happening to her because Cara and her mom are always on the move. But when Cara’s mother sets up a fundraiser to raise money for her illness, she begins to question the people around her. Is Cara’s illness something she was born with? Or is someone intentionally making her sick?
The book How to Make Friends with the Dark, by Kathleen Glasgow, is a realistic fiction novel. The main character, Tiger, has an unbreakable bond with her mother. Their mother-daughter relationship is deep and understanding, with a few quirks. Everything changes for Tiger when her mom unexpectedly dies. After Tiger loses the person she loves the most, her life goes into shambles. As the book narrates on, changing from first person point of view to second, we see how Tiger’s emotions play out.
