Gabi, a Girl in Pieces

Quintero, I ( 2014). Gabi, a Girl in Pieces. El Paso, TX: Cinco Punto Press.

Summary

Any story that involves a stash of good beef jerky and a secret pile of KitKats in a drawer is a worth while read. Gabi lives in Santa Maria, California. This novel is her journal of her senior year.  She lives with her strict mother, younger brother, and sometimes her drug addicted father shows up. She has two incredible friends Cindy and Sebastian. Their year is going to take a turn for all of them. Cindy gets pregnant and Sebastian comes out as gay and gets kicked out by his family. Gabi suddenly finds herself attractive to the opposite sex whereas before she thought of herself as fat and invisible. Gabi relates many of the events that happen to her to the food she was eating at the time like hot cheetos. She gets through life with a wicked sense of humor. She is also is a talented writer. She is able to share her triumphs and pain in beautiful poetry. Her plan is it use her writing to get her to college and change her life. She wants out of her present situation. The story's tone turns dark when she must deal with her father's death from an overdose, an abortion of a classmate, and the fact that her friend was date raped.  In the end, Gabi gets her happy ending and a chance to start a new beginning.

Commentary
The novel written from Gabi's perspective is refreshing. Her observations of the hypocrisies around her are spot on. Her voice sounds like a typical flawed teen. Not a perfect size 2 character that gets everything she needs and deals with minor problems.  I know characters like Mrs Hernandez who are very strict with the daughters and lenient with their sons. They do not realize the cycle they are creating.  The other characters have valid stories on their own. Each one of them could have a novel written about them.

Connections

Teaching Guide

Vamos a Leer Teaching Latin America through Literacy

Connections to text

Books with a minority character should reflect customs, concerns, and or traditions of that minority group to be valid. Not only does this book include concepts of girl developing her own identity, it includes a girl struggling with weight and pressure to be someone else by family members. Dating is included.  The affects that addiction on other others is shown. Finally the Hispanic culture is included. From religion, to family structure, to male female relationships, Ms Quintero presents excellent novel with valid example of a  Latin American family.