Lucky Broken Girl

Although it’s almost March, I’ve succeeded in reading exactly one book from this year’s reading challenge. I went for what I thought would be an easy task: read a middle grade book that has won a diversity award.  Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar is a quick read, but psychologically, it's a challenge.

Ruthie Mizrahi and her family are living in New York City after leaving Castro’s Cuba. Ruthie studies hard at school so she can go to the “smart class” and earns the respect of the neighborhood girls with her hopscotch prowess.

However, just as she is starting to fit into her new home, the family gets into a car accident. Ruthie wakes up to find she’s in a body cast from the waist down. Her world instantly shrinks to the confines of her bed. Although the cast is doing its job, ultimately it’s reading books, writing stories, and painting pictures that does the true healing.

When the cast is finally removed, Ruthie must learn to walk again. And the bedroom that once seemed like a prison cell now feels like a sanctuary she doesn’t want to ever leave. A strong-willed nurse insists that she try.

“The only way to deal with fear is to treat it like an unwelcome guest,” Amara tells Ruthie.  “If you keep entertaining it, you'll never be rid of it.”