Other Words for Home by Jasmine Varga

BOOK: 2 OF 2021

RATING: 5/5

I wish everyone would read this beautiful book. I will be thinking about Jude for a long time.

Other Words for Home follows young Jude as she and her mother flee Syria to live in Cincinnati with relatives. We follow Jude's journey as she tries to adapt to living in America, with a new label "Middle Eastern", one that she has never known before. I loved how this story not only focused on Jude's upbringing in Syria and travelling to America, but her new reality coming to America. I felt sad, mad, frustrated (when reading much of the hate that is thrown in Jude's way) but there are also moments that made me feel inspired and hopeful.

Jude's voice is so powerful and evoked so much emotion in me when I was reading it. Sometimes I feel like books from a child's POV are just so poignant, and this one was no exception. This is a book I would recommend to anyone and everyone.