Lucky Broken Girl, written by Ruth Behar, is a historical fiction book for middle school students. The story follows Ruthie, a Cuban immigrant with Jewish roots, nicknamed “The Hopscotch Queen of Queens”. After moving from Cuba to Queens, New York, in the 1960s with her family, Ruthie’s family is in a car accident that leaves her in a body cast for most of a year.
Dear America: My Heart Is on the Ground by Ann Rinaldi is a fictional diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux girl sent to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in the late 1800s. Through her diary entries, Nannie describes the harsh conditions, loss of cultural identity, and emotional challenges of being forced to abandon her language, traditions, and family. The book attempts to portray the experience of Native American children in boarding schools. However, it has faced harsh criticism for historical inaccuracies and a lack of cultural authenticity. Many Indigenous readers and scholars argue that the book reinforces stereotypes and fails to authentically capture the voice and perspective of a Lakota girl. Critics also note that the author, who is not Native, wrote the story without consulting Native communities, leading to a portrayal that many view as disrespectful and historically misleading. The themes center on real, fact-based experiences, such as immigration, cultural identity, and physical disability. Author Ruth Behar draws from her own childhood trauma, so the “why” behind events, like the struggles of being confined to bed, are deeply personal and realistic. The setting reflects the post-immigration life of many Cuban and Latin American families at the time. References to neighborhood dynamics, schools, hospitals, and even the fashion and décor of the time help anchor readers in the period. Political aspects, such as the Cuban Revolution, are mentioned but only help explain the family’s background, not run the story. Ruthie and the supporting characters, her family, friends, neighbors, and teachers, are drawn with sensitivity and realism. The way they speak, their behaviors, and their attitudes reflect the era. Adults and peers uphold the societal views of the 1960s, including gender roles and immigration tensions.
Told in first-person from Ruthie’s perspective, the story skillfully blends fact and fiction. The narrative voice is age-appropriate and emotionally rich. Behar’s writing style blends personal memoir with historical fiction, creating a vivid portrait of life in the 1960s. While the book doesn’t include a bibliography or timeline, the author’s personal note offers context and insight into how her real-life experiences shaped the story. With more personal, reflective moments than fast-moving action, Ruthie’s long recovery gives space for emotional growth and interaction with others. The tone is heartfelt and reflective, however, the story was slow and stalled at times, making it hard to get through. Recommended for students grades 5th -8th.
Lai, T. (2013). Inside out & back again. University of Queensland Press.
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Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai is a historical fiction book written for middle school students. The story follows the real-life timeline of the fall of Saigon in 1975 and the refugee experience thereafter. Hà and her brothers and mother flee war-torn Saigon, on a cramped, sick, infected boat, to resettle in Alabama. As Hà struggles to learn English and navigate a new culture, she faces bullying, homesickness, and identity challenges. The story explores universal, fact-based themes: war, immigration, identity, and resilience. Lai draws from her own life as a Vietnamese refugee, so the emotional and situational depth behind Hà’s journey is authentic. The “why” of the events, like fleeing Saigon, the family's relocation to Alabama, and the cultural clashes, is clearly rooted in historical events- war and its aftermath. The issues presented still feel very real to today’s readers and are especially relevant in conversations about refugee experiences.
The settings, Saigon during the Vietnam War, and a small town in Alabama are historically and geographically accurate. Saigon is portrayed with sensory-rich details that highlight the beauty of home before war. The shift to Alabama shows the stark contrast in culture, language, and climate. Hà and her family, along with the people they meet in America, reflect the behaviors, attitudes, and struggles of the time. Hà’s internal conflict, her mother's strength, and the kindness and prejudice they encounter in the States all align with historical accounts of refugee life in the ‘70s.
Told in first-person from Hà’s perspective, the story beautifully blends fact and fiction. Written in free-verse poetry, the style mirrors the voice of a young girl processing intense experiences with limited English. The language is simple yet powerful. Lai also shows different points of view: Hà’s family, American neighbors, classmates, and teachers, giving readers a multifaceted look at the time. The dialogue feels natural and period-appropriate without being stilted or overly formal. While the book doesn’t include a bibliography, there’s a helpful author’s note at the end explaining the autobiographical roots of the story. An easy and heartfelt read. Recommended for students grades 5th -8th.
Rinaldi, A. (1999). Dear America: My heart is on the ground, diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux girl. Scholastic Inc.
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The plot centers on Nannie Little Rose’s experiences, highlighting daily life, harsh rules, and the internal conflict between her heritage and forced assimilation. The book tackles themes like cultural erasure, forced assimilation, identity, and survival, set during the period when Native American children were forcibly taken to boarding schools. While it tries to reflect historical realities, the book lacks accuracy and sensitivity. The themes definitely present an opportunity for adult-facilitated conversations around U.S. history, colonization, and Indigenous rights.
The book is set in the late 19th century at Carlisle in Pennsylvania. The setting attempts historical accuracy, referencing the architecture, daily routines, and rules of the time. Nannie Little Rose and the other Native children are fictionalized, and while the author attempts to give them voice, many aspects, such as speech, customs, and attitudes, do not align with the lived experiences or cultural values of real Lakota people. Written in diary format, the book is meant to feel personal and immersive, but many of the entries feel inconsistent in tone and voice. While it aims to be accessible to young readers, it blurs cultural lines in ways that compromise authenticity. The first-person format attempts to blend fact and fiction, but due to the author’s lack of lived experience and limited consultation with Indigenous sources, the fictional elements often override historical and cultural truth.
The book does not include reference materials like glossaries or timelines. Rinaldi does include an Author’s Note, with a few pictures, about visiting the cemetery at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, where she saw headstones bearing the names of Native American children from various tribes who had died while at the school; however, not at the time her story was to take place. Overall, it falls short of delivering an authentic and respectful tone, especially considering the serious and painful nature of boarding school history.
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