Review: Behar, R. (2018). Lucky broken girl.
LSSL 5385: Required Novels
Behar, R. (2018). Lucky broken girl. NY, NY: Puffin Books.
In this Pura Belpré Award winner, young Ruthie Mizrahi’s family has fled oppression in Cuba and come to the borough of Queens in 1960’s New York City, where she is surrounded by cultural diversity. Her closest school friend, Ramu, is from India, and they discuss what they love and miss about their respective native lands; she also meets immigrant families from European countries, as well as transplants from other parts of the country, such as an African American nurse who tells her he is never going back to the South. In the beginning, Ruthie has spent the past year working hard to understand and speak English, and is finally going to be promoted to what she deems the “smart class” the following Monday. To further her amazing weekend, her father gifts her with coveted white go-go boots, then surprises the entire family with a shiny blue Oldsmobile, which they take on a visit to friends--only to be involved in a horrible, multi-vehicle crash that leaves Ruthie in a full-body cast, unable to attend school or even tend to her own bathroom needs.
As she copes with being bedridden--something she believes sounds like a witch’s curse--she promises herself that she will pray more and be thankful that she is “lucky” and “not as broken as some other people.” This begins nearly a full year of her confinement to the family’s tiny one-bedroom apartment, where she is visited by friends, neighbors, near and distant family, and a personal tutor, Joy, who she views as more a hippie than a teacher. Moreover, she discovers that reading is one of the least difficult tasks while lying in a body cast in her “prison.”
During her ordeal, Ruthie comes to a new understanding of what it means to be a “patient’; Joy teaches her about Frida Kaholo, she reads the Nancy Drew series, and she reflects on the accident, mortality, and her mother’s ongoing struggle to be accepting of her father Papi’s American dream. She learns to type, and secretly dreams of becoming a writer and traveling the world. Throughout, she comes to an understanding that even “sadder” stories belong to those around her--the people who were killed or paralyzed in the accident, her family and friends, and others unknown--and strives to not feel sorry for herself. On her birthday she makes a simple wish, to just be alive the next year, because “being alive is the best gift of all.”
This story of resilience and personal growth, while fictionalized, is based upon the author, Ruth Behar’s own childhood experiences as a Cuban immigrant and a bedridden young girl. In particular, she does an amazing job of capturing a youthful voice and perspective on family, friendships, and some very harsh realities. The horrific car crash scene is described in a confused, detached way, believable of how an eleven- or twelve-year old might perceive it, unable to really process the events. She also engages in frank discussion of her toileting needs and troubles, and her feelings on this subject, which include both painful loss of independence and guilt and worry over straining her relationship with her caretaker mother. Even when finally relieved of yet another cast, she must overcome her fears of putting weight on her leg and using the crutches to learn to walk again. Anxiety about being overly dependent, as well as about overcoming challenging obstacles--even for a desirable outcome--is something to which all readers will be able to relate.
Emotionally moving and inspiring reflections on gratitude, Ruthie’s story paints a picture that has been known to so many youth living in America, and is yet unknown to so many more: a diverse and multicultural existence, living with thoughts and dreams of a distant homeland. It is also a story about loss to which many middle grade and young adult readers will be able to relate, no matter their cultural circumstances. Losing her mobility and independence for nearly an entire year gives Ruthie time to reflect on the truly important aspects of life, and readers will be able to experience this process vicariously, even if they have never been physically limited for such serious medical reasons. Dealing with messages about racism, cultural bigotry, and death, this novel is recommended for ages ten and up, but will be welcomed by teens and adult readers alike for its unique perspective and realism.
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