About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is processing a significant community event, navigating a complex bicultural identity, or feeling the strain of balancing life between two households. This graphic memoir follows twelve-year-old Alyssa through the universal trials of middle school, from agonizing over fashion and first crushes to deeper questions about what it means to be Puerto Rican. The narrative takes a profound turn as it documents the local and global impact of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Through Alyssa's sketches and honest diary entries, parents can find a gentle yet realistic bridge to discuss resilience, collective grief, and the ways we find hope in the aftermath of tragedy. It is perfectly pitched for the middle-grade reader, offering a safe space to explore how personal growth and historical events intersect.
