A lyrical novel-in-verse that takes us through the journey of coming of age in New York during the 80s.
Alma's life is a series of halfways: She's half-Chinese, half-Jewish; her parents spend half the time fighting, and the other half silent; and she's halfway through becoming a woman. But as long as she can listen to her Walkman, hang out with her friends on the stoops of the Village, and ride her bike around the streets of New York, it feels like everything will be all right. Then comes the year when everything changes, and her life is overtaken by constant endings: friends move away, romances bloom and wither, her parents divorce and--just like that--her life as she knew it is over. In this world of confusing beginnings, middles, and endings, is Alma ready to press play on the soundtrack of her life?---from the publisher
336 pages 978-0593121146 Ages 12 -17
Keywords: novel in verse, coming of age, New York, diversity, diverse books, Asian, Jewish, dysfunctional family, friends, friendship, divorce, romance, finding yourself, 12 year old, 13 year old, 14 year old, 15 year old