Book Review: Blended by Sharon M. Draper
Book Review: Blended by Sharon M. Draper
15 September 2020
Written from the perspective of 11-year-old Isabella, this chapter book reveals how racism impacts the everyday life of a pre-teen who is bi-racial and coping with her parents’ divorce.
This middle-grade novel by Sharon M. Draper follows 11-year-old Isabella Thornton as she navigates her parents’ divorce and life as a middle schooler.
At the beginning of the novel, we learn of Isabella’s parents’ divorce but also her bi-racial background (her mother being white and her father being black). As the novel progresses, Isabella comes to terms with dividing her time between two households and families, as well as the micro-aggressions and racism that she and her loved ones experience.
Despite being written with a middle-school target audience, Blended is very direct when it comes to more serious themes.
The New York Times bestseller discusses racism, police brutality, bullying and divorce in a timely manner that is understandable to younger readers, yet Draper doesn’t sugarcoat the severity of these topics.
This novel would be a great gateway to discussing these difficult topics with younger people.
Blended is available at major bookstores.
Ashton Higgins is a design student from Melbourne.
Comments
No comments yet - be the first.